The Last Year To Get It Right
by SpringBabe
Summary: You guessed it it's another Lily and James Fanfic, don't worry Sirius and the Marauders are tagging along for the ride to. Don't forget Lily's friends. It's the make or break year for James as he struggles to get Lily to like him.
1. The 7th Train Ride

Before I begin please remember I am not J. or an author so please don't expect my work to be magnificent or anywhere near perfect.

The 7th Train Ride

"LLLLIIIILLLYYY!" Mary shrieked pushing through the slightly large crowd. At least she wasn't trying to find me 10 minutes before the train was about to leave. That would have been a nightmare.

"Mary," I replied with a laugh giving her our special group hug we do with both Alice and Sammie. "How was your summer?" I asked with a fake grin knowing how well her summer was. The same as every year.

"Oh you know same as always." She replied through bared teeth.

"So terrible then." I replied grabbing her trunk.

"Yeah, I didn't expect anything to change but at least I'm gone, I brought everything with me." Mary sighed indicating to her trunk. It did look much larger and bulgier then usual.

"Anyway let's find a carriage and put away the trunks before we come back to find Alice and Sammie." I replied trying to steer the conversation away from Mary's summers.

I really felt sorry for Mary; I thought I had it bad with the way Petunia used to treat me when she lived at home. Constantly calling me a freak and all the other names. Ever since she was eight her mother passed away after treating a patient that had dragon pox. Unexpectantly Mary's mum caught the disease before the little girl was treated. She lasted a week before she passed away in her bed. Mary's little sister was the one that found her the next morning when she wanted breakfast. Their father had already gone to work thinking that his wife just needed a few extra hours since she had always been awake to see her off.

After the mourning stage and a year before Mary went to Hogwarts her father announced that he was engaged to another woman. Both girls were intrigued by this and wanted to meet their new mother. She welcomed them with presents and offered to pay for their desserts when they went out for dinner but that changed once their father decided that he would go back to field missions for the first time since his late wife's death. The bitch as Mary would often call her would lock both her and her sister in their rooms whenever she had guests over. They both were overjoyed once they came to Hogwarts but summers were always the same. Locked away from the rest of the world with only each other for companionship. Their father didn't come back at all this summer so it was a lot worse they were lucky to leave the house at all but bitch couldn't really stop them much since Mary could now apparate and perform magic outside of school. That's why Mary and Lauren are so close much closer than your average sister because of the hell they have been through over the last nine years.

"So Lily you never told me about your summer. I didn't hear from you and couldn't tell you about the Hogwarts letter I received." Mary said introducing a new topic.

"Yeah mum and dad decided to surprise me and Petunia as soon as I got home with a surprise holiday to Greece and Italy hoping that it would somehow clear all differences between Tunia and I since we had both reached adulthood. Well the result was that Tunia moved out as soon as we got home. None of you heard about it since I got back three days ago and couldn't afford to send Thumper the whole distance back to England since I didn't know if he would back the trip." I told her sincerely.

"That's alright at least you're here now. I don't know what the school would do without their Head Girl." Mary smirked.

"Aww you're such a nice girl. Wait how did you know I was head girl?" I asked only just realising what she said. I wasn't wearing my badge yet deciding that I would wait until the prefect meeting to put it on over me sweater.

"Because I got this and Dumbledore would have been a fool not to make you Head Girl." Mary replied still smirking while pulling out the gold and scarlet red prefect badge from her jeans pocket.

"Mary I'm so proud of you." I smiled brightly giving her another hug.

"So you and Remus are going to make a really great team." Mary said shrugging her shoulders like becoming a prefect was nothing. My she took the news differently to me, although I knew how proud she felt to be given a title in the school.

"God I hope so I don't know what I would do if it was anyone else, Simon Barker doesn't seem too bad. Oh you don't know him he's that Hufflepuff prefect in our year." I told her seeing the confused look on her face. "But Remus is defiantly better. I actually get along and work well with him despite that he's a Marauder."

"Come on you can't hate all four of them." Mary said.

"I don't exactly hate them. I'm good friends with Remus and Peter's alright although he is a bit timid. It's just Black and Potter I can't stand." I replied adding venom to the last to names.

"Aww I know you love me really." Someone said from behind me draping his arm around me.

"Black get off go find someone else to give your perverted thoughts too." I replied shrugging his arm off my shoulder.

"Have it your way Evan's I don't really know what James sees in you. You're a bit of a prude when he can have any other girl. I was just fooling around." Black replied sounding hurt. I didn't believe it for a second and neither did Mary who just glared at him as he walked off.

I knew that he would have met one of the blonde Ravenclaws who cared more about her beauty then her grades although I couldn't lie about them being dumb. That's why Sirius's words got to me. It was true I couldn't deny that James was well liked and decent looking he could go after any girl, the Ravenclaws all loved him yet he was constantly pestering me. I wasn't much not like the girls he and Sirius usually hooked up with. I had more dignity than that.

"This carriage looks empty. Let's leave our trunks here and go find Alice and Sammie." Mary replied putting the incident with Sirius in the back of her mind.

"Okay then. I haven't seen anyone since we all left the platform." I replied with a sigh.

"To be honest I've only seen Alice and Sammie once and that was when Lauren and I were shopping for school supplies." Mary said.

"I promise this is the only time I'm going to bring it up but what's going to happen to Lauren when you don't return once the year is over?" I asked knowing that Lauren wouldn't be able to handle her step mums isolation alone.

"To be honest the only solution I've come up with is that Lauren will be coming with me. I just haven't told her since I don't want to disappoint her if I can't bring her with me." Mary replied with a small sob.

"Hey it's okay. I'm sorry I brought it up. If it gets too much you're always welcomed at my place my parents have always wanted to meet you ever since we came home." I told her rubbing her shoulder.

"Thanks Lily." She replied rubbing under her eyes with her shirt sleeve. "Good thing I put on waterproof mascara hey." She chuckled.

"Mary, Lily." Sammie yelled over the bustling crowd.

She dropped her trunk in the middle of everyone and ran over to us.

"I've missed you so much. How come you never wrote to us Lily?" she asked knowing full well that Mary couldn't.

"Sorry there is so much to tell you but I guess that is what the trip to Hogwarts is for." I joked knowing that on this trip wouldn't be a bore since none of us really saw each other these holidays and had a lot to catch up on.

"Yeah unless a certain Head Girl keeps the prefect meeting to long." Mary joked nudging me.

Sammie saw this and instantly caught on. "Congratulations, although we all knew you'd get it. Dumbledore would have been crazy not to make you Head Girl."

"That's basically what Mary said." I told her.

"So where were you that you couldn't send an owl?" Sammie asked feigning hurt.

"I was actually in Greece and Italy the whole time. I couldn't bring Thumper with me so I sent him to one of you." I replied I was hoping that Thumper would have gone to Mary since she was the one that needed him the most but it looks like he went to Alice.

"Oh, were then any cute guys there?" Sammie asked.

Leave that to Sammie to ask about the guys. That was her role in the group she was the dater. The only one to date Sirius for longer than three months, dating him for six before she broke it off.

"There were but unfortunately there was a bit of a language barrier." I sighed.

"What about you Sammie who did you date this summer?" Mary asked knowing that this was always Sammie's highlight.

"Actually this summer was boy free. I spent a lot of the time rekindling my relationship with mum and dad. I actually enjoyed it." Sammie grinned knowing that we wouldn't believe her.

"Her dad kicked her out for a week when she didn't come home one night because she was staying at Malcolm Frasers place and didn't let him know.

She turned up on my doorstep in tears knowing that my parents would let her stay for as long as she needed. I loved my parents for that; they had never turned my friends away and always excepted people. That's why they found the situation Petunia and are in very difficult.

"Well do you want to pick your stuff up and put it in the carriage?" Mary asked.

"Sure." Sammie replied merging into the rest of the Hogwarts students and families to find where she had dropped her trunk. Remerging minutes later with Alice.

"Alice." Both Mary and I shrieked running over to her.

"Hey, I missed you both." She said dropping her trunk at her feet and gave us all a hug well we all joined in for our group hug that we do whenever we leave/ meet each other.

"Lily I've sent Thumper ahead with Screecher. I'm sorry if Screecher annoyed him a bit." Alice replied.

"That's alright," I told her "at least someone was able to look after him."

"Well let's get on the train and find seats then you can tell us all about your holiday unless you have to go to a certain perfect meeting." Alice grinned.

"How did you know I'm not wearing the badge and haven't told you anything?" I wondered.

"Seriously, you doubted that you wouldn't get it. Dumbledore would have been crazy not to appoint you." Alice smirked.

"Do you guys know how weird it is hearing all three of you say the same thing?" I laughed leading them on the train.

"Well it's the truth Lily." All three of them responded at the same time.

We all burst out laughing as we walked to carriage.

"Okay Mary and I will be back soon, I'll make the meeting as short as I can, depending on how the Slytherins are." I told them and led Mary down the train to the prefects compartment.

"No." I let out a breath.

As soon as I got to the compartment I saw both Remus and Potter sitting there chatting. I stopped so suddenly that Mary walked into me, pushing me in the door.

"Hi Lily did you have a great summer?" Remus asked.

James turned towards the door as soon as Remus said my name.

"Yes I did thank you Remus how was your summer?" I asked while taking a seat across from him while Mary sat next to me.

"It wasn't too bad. Met up with James and Sirius a bit." Remus told me.

"Hi Evan's." James grinned.

"Potter." I nodded formally I wasn't going to be the first one to scream.

"So which one of you are Head Boy and the Prefect?" Mary asked.

Normally that would be a decent question but since Potter was in the carriage it was safe to say that he was the prefect unless he was just playing a joke there was no way Potter would be…

"That would be me." James interrupted my thoughts while looking at the ground.

"No! There is no way that Dumbledore made you Head Boy. You're arrogant, obnoxious, full of yourself, selfish, you put others down. Not to mention the amount of detentions you've served for pranks and harassing other students." I shouted at him.

Well there we go I was the first one to start the argument what a way to start the year.

"Don't worry we were all surprised when Prongs got the letter." Remus stated cheerfully. "Sirius was on the floor rolling around with laughter for a good hour or so."

I didn't find this funny at all. Potter who hexed people for the fun of it was now the Head Boy of the school something wasn't right there was no way Dumbledore would stoop this low. Even Snape was a better choice then Potter. Actually Snape and Potter were probably even.

Potter was still staring at the ground and had finally looked at me. "Are you done?"

I wanted to say more but Mary interrupted me. "Yes she's done."

"Yes that was me, yes I was arrogant, yes I hexed people mainly the Slytherins for fun but most of the time they deserved it. You may not think I can be Head Boy but somehow, I don't know why Dumbledore choose me over Remus and believes that I can help control the school. I don't know about you but I trust Dumbledore and if this is what Dumbledore chose then I'm going to trust his judgement whether you like it or not." Potter said so quietly that I barely heard him.

I wanted to say more and shout at him. Of course I didn't like it. I had worked so hard at the school to get where I am. I studied for my grades then people like Potter and Black come along after a snogging session in a broom closet with whoever they had recently just hooked up with and still ace whatever test we had. They made everyone fall in love with them because they harmed others and made themselves look cooler. They acted so cool just because they were on the Quiditch team. Remus was the only decent one and then even then he still played pranks and hexed people occasionally. Then there was Peter who just did whatever James and Sirius did. I felt kind of sorry for the guy since James and Sirius would just tag him along and use him. I was about to tell him what I thought about his made up crazy story. He probably bribed Dumbledore somehow. There was a rumour that Potter was wealthy.

I was about open my mouth again much to Mary's and Remus' amusement. They could sense a fight brewing but then Raymond Green walked in with the other Ravenclaw prefects followed by everyone else. Lastly and three guesses to who were last. Snape and the other Slytherins trailed in 10 minutes after we were due to start.

"What's he doing here?" Snape asked stopped dead in his tracks. His face went pale making his hair look greasier than ever.

"I'm the head boy you git." James told him standing up to his full height to show who was taller and better.

It made me sick.

"Potter, Snape sit down." I said sternly and glared at them both. "Yes unfortunately and for reasons we do not know Potter has been made Head Boy." I said venom dripping at the words Potter and Head Boy.

Who know those would be put together in the same sentence?

I also didn't miss Potter's smirk at Snape and the other Slytherins'. That boy will never change he is still the same arrogant toerag he was when he left.

"Anyway this meeting is just to inform you of what you will be doing and what is fulfilled as your duties." I cleared my throat and continued talking ignoring Potter's gesture to speak. "You are allowed to take points off for misbehaviour but that requires you to record that and give them to me and" I cringed, "the head boy. You will also be required to take rounds during the week; times will be given out at the next meeting when we get to Hogwarts. That is all for now so enjoy the trip to Hogwarts." I said remembering the past speeches from the other Heads leading back to two years ago and tried to shorten it the best I could. I wanted to get back to my friends and I'm sure everyone else did too.

"Hold on before you go, I would like to say something." Potter said looking at me as if asking if that was alright.

I just shrugged my shoulders before sitting down and sighed.

"The Head role will be shared by both me and Evan's so please don't feel the need to overload her with all the work I am also available as well."

I let out a short snort of disbelief that nobody except for Potter, Remus and Mary seemed to notice. Once everyone left Mary and Remus made themselves scarce leaving Potter and myself alone.

I tried to walk out but Potter held his arm out to stop me. "Evans you may not believe that I can or have changed but I'm telling you you're wrong for once. Normally I would hate to point out you're wrong but this time I'm right."

"Please you always point out when I'm wrong, every little mistake I make in class including a slight wrong wand movement that doesn't change the spell and you will point it out. Besides what makes you think you can prove me wrong. I saw the way you were looking at the Slytherins. You still think you're so superior to everyone else well I have news for you you're just like everyone else. You have no special talent that puts you above everyone else so stop acting like you're the light that everyone has to follow." I shouted at him. Steam was practically coming from my ears as I walked out.

* * *

"You're wrong again Lily." I whispered to myself once she walked out. "I don't feel superior at all. You are the most amazing thing that I have ever seen and there is no way I can live up to your standards. I don't feel superior to you at all."

"So Prongs did you finally snog her senseless yet?" Sirius asked as soon as I walked into the compartment.

"Padfoot I was at the meeting there was no way he would have snogged her in the time that we left them alone. Besides she still hates his guts. I would maybe leave her alone for a while show you have really changed." Remus said to me.

That's Remus always the voice of wisdom. It was foolish not to follow his advice because more often than not he was right. There had been the odd occasion where I had listened to him and he was wrong but that didn't mean I didn't trust him. Why should this time be any different?

"You know what Prongs; I think you should find a new girl, maybe someone blonde, great breasts, a nice ass. Lily just doesn't seem like the type of girl who is going to take the stick out of her ass and realise that there is more to life than just rules and books." Sirius reasoned.

"Maybe but I've chased her for so long. Can I really just let her go like that?" I asked.

"You need to show Lily it's more than just the chase that makes you compelled by her. You need to stop showing off around and checking the corridors for her every time you go to hex someone for saying the word Lily or Mudblood. She's the type of girl that isn't impressed by that. Show her you really are. Show her the real you that you are when no one else is around." Remus suggested.

"Moony, you know that is really good advice, I'll give it a shot. What do you think Wormtail?" I asked him without realising what I was doing.

"Sorry what James I wasn't really paying attention this whole how I get Lily to like me thing is getting pretty old." Wormtail said with a yawn.

"For once I agree with you wormy." Sirius exclaimed. "Seriously though James Evan's may be nice to most people but she calls you an arrogant toerag whenever you open your mouth to speak. She says your superior haven't you ever stopped to realise that maybe she is actually being a bitch. She could be nice to you but even when you say hello she'll just scream in your face."

He did have a point but I refuse to believe that Lily my Lily was a bitch. I had seen her help a 1st or 2nd year up when they had been knocked down in the corridor. She was smiling all the time. She smiled at everyone, except me and maybe Sirius. She was nice to me, before I was a jerk to her that's probably why she won't give me the chance. Sirius should know that he was there.

"Maybe I should just lay low for a while. Don't talk to her, don't date anyone show her that I want to go out with her and that I'm serious." I said speaking my thoughts.

While Remus thought this was a good plan Sirius thought it was the worst idea ever. "No way do you know how many girls you haven't kissed in this school. You're reputation isn't that bad in the school. Of course it's nowhere near mine but still you could have girls lining up while you snog them one by one in a broom closet and you chose the no girl option all because of Fricking Lily Evans besides you're not serious I am."

We all groaned at the joke and threw whatever we had at him. I threw my badge which hit him right across his forehead where it left a mark. Ha now he would have to walk into the Great Hall with a great red mark. Remus threw the text book he was trying to read which hit him across the chest and Peter threw the box of chocolates he was eating.

"Serves you right. You know you're going to run out of girls soon and will be left with the Slytherins." I said jokingly.

"I have not, I still have Evans, Mary and Alice, plus the really, really dumb 5th year Gryffindor that I can't stand." Sirius replied.

"Are they the only girls you haven't hooked up with?" Peter asked with awe.

I shook my head in disgust while Remus voiced my thoughts. Besides if Lily wasn't going to go out with me why would she go out with Sirius?

Then the banter began as Sirius told Remus all about his encounter with the sexy brunette that lives down from us. Remus went back to his book straight away which caused Sirius to speak louder and more in his face. Peter was hanging off every word Sirius was saying hoping he would be able to put whatever he said into effect when he got that chance. I just sat back and listened silently laughing at everything Sirius exaggerated.

Sirius and I, we are inseparable. We are practically brothers and ever since he turned up on my doorstep just after 5th year because he'd had enough of his parents lunatic ideas we became closer. My parents treat him just like a son. We had our little fights and some were over girls but we had each other's back.

"So Remus who do you fancy?" Sirius asked wagging his eyebrows.

"You know that brunette from Ravenclaw, the one in the year below us?" Remus asked dropping his book.

"Probably, I've snogged so many brunette Ravenclaws they are all in a jumble right now." Sirius said taking a bite of one of Peter's chocolates.

Remus rolled his eyes. "We'll she's the prefect, the one that didn't last more than an hour with you."

"Oh Jemma, yeah I remember her. It's a shame really that those looks went to waste." Sirius sighed thinking back to the memory.

"You are so perverted." I grinned at him.

"Like you're any better." He responded.

"I am, there is only one girl for me." I replied.

* * *

"I am, there is only one girl for me." James said.

And that's when I knew that I would find a way to help get him a Lily together. Even if she didn't like either of us that was going to change and it would change now.

"James you do realise that this is a massive commitment." I told him.

"Yes, but I can't stand to leave Hogwarts without trying and I mean really try. I'll be myself; I'll take responsibility with my Head Boy duties, whatever it takes." James replied.

Remus looked up from his book; Peter stopped eating his chocolate mid bite. Well maybe it was time we all grew up. Hell maybe I could find myself a girl that would last. Sammie was great but she didn't want to be dumped by the Hogwarts womaniser so she broke it off with me. That's the kind of girl I like, Evans isn't actually too bad but she's James' everyone knows it. Maybe Alice she's sweet or maybe Mary I'm sure she is a great person to get to know.

"Well I'll support you no matter what and if that means we stop with pranks then so be it." I sighed knowing I was going to regret this.

"Let's make this interesting." Remus suggested. "Padfoot I bet you won't be able to last and will be begging to plan a prank within a week."

"You're on." I replied smirking.

I knew I was going to regret this.

* * *

"So let me get this straight you shouted at James when all he wanted to do was tell you that he had changed?" Mary asked.

"Yeah, he hasn't though, you saw him smirking at the Slytherins when I told them he was Head Boy. He just can't deflate that big head of his." I said exhausted.

"Oh no you don't missy, you aren't closing your eyes until you tell us about your holiday." Alice said sternly and thankfully changing the subject.

She disliked James and Sirius almost as much as I did, she agreed with me that they were obnoxious but she always made an effort to talk to them whenever they were around. I think she didn't like them to support me, to show that she was on my side and that she was my friend. I appreciated her for it but it wasn't fair if she couldn't be friends with them. I'm sure they are nice just I gave them that opportunity and they blew it.

"So Lily what did you get up to? How many boys did you kiss? Where they a good kisser?" Sammie asked offloading the questions.

She knew me pretty well too, I had a summer fling after my 5th year and then I broke it up before I went to school. Those boys didn't know I was a witch. It was safer dating a wizard although I hadn't found the right one yet. I also made a boyfriend out of my trip to America last year but when I came back to England he broke it off saying the distance was too hard. This year I decided that whoever I met and got to know would only last a few days.

I held up three fingers and bit my lip waiting for the surprise.

"OMG Lily, you're finally growing up." Sammie exclaimed.

After about an hour and a half of hearing about my holiday we moved onto Sammie's.

"It wasn't much just helping my parents sort out their differences. Dad and I are now speaking to each other which is good and I've moved back into the actually house I'm no longer living in the Granny flat." Sammie told us. "I also met up with the Marauders for a weekend in Diagon Alley but that was it besides seeing Mary and Alice for school shopping."

"Sammie what is it that makes you friends with James and Sirius?" I asked.

All three of the girls turned to stare at me.

"Huh?" Sammie asked confused.

"I asked what is it that makes you friends with James and Sirius."

"Oh well I guess I took the time to get to know them, they're funny and friendly." Sammie said thoughtfully.

"Really, Potter and Black friendly?" I asked sceptically.

"Phew, for a moment I thought you weren't Lily." Mary joked.

"Yeah you can see how close the four of them are, the amount of trust they have for each other especially James and Sirius. They aren't bullies. Actually I don't think they hex innocent students either."

"Please over the last two years Potter and Black have sent 22 Slytherins to the Hospital Wing." I snorted.

"Yeah but they're the known Death Eaters besides I don't think they sent hexed 22 Slytherins last year. I'm not going to force you Lily but give them a chance. Besides for someone that hates their guts you really do keep tabs on them." Sammie smirked.

"I gave them a chance 7 years ago and they ruined it besides they never did, apologise for it they just made the situation worse. You know that I forgive easily the only problem is they don't make it easy." I sighed. "Anyway how was your holiday Alice?"

The other three sighed at my lack of changing the subject.

"Oh it was pretty good. I got to spend a few days with my cousins and we even went to France." Alice said happily.

"Alright who did you kiss?" Sammie asked.

I rolled my eyes. I thought it was weird to find out that Sammie didn't kiss anyone this summer while Alice and I did.

"His name was Mark Danley and it was so romantic, we were at the top of the Eiffel tower watching the fireworks." Alice smiled dreamy.

She got all the good boys through her cousins. They knew people that knew people and they all went away together. So when Alice tags along she is quite a catch with all the amazing boys. Alice is type of girl most guys want. Blonde, hot body, naturally tanned, smart and an outdoorsy type. Sammie is the outgoing one that is confident around boys. Her dark hair and dark skin are a catch as they contrast Alice. Mary on the other hand is scared to be in a relationship mainly because of what her step mum did to her. She is scared that whoever she dates is going to break her heart into little pieces. Meanwhile most of the guys turn their heads to follow her whenever she walks past her bright blue eyes, light brown wavy hair and tanned skin make most guys who don't already full in love with Sammie and Alice full in love with her. Then there's me I'm friends with the three most beautiful girls in school, I'm unnoticed even if I'm two steps away. Who would want to go out with me anyway, no one likes a red head or the pale one when there's a blonde or brunette standing next to her. The only thing that gets me noticed is my breasts but that's the attention I don't want.

"Anyway I'll be right back if the Trolley Lady comes past while I'm gone can you please get me a box of pumpkin pasties and I pay you back." Sammie said leaving the compartment.

* * *

Three compartments down I found what I was looking for.

"Hey Sammie what's up?" James asked looking up from what looked to be a very intense game of Exploding snap.

"Not much I just want to know what did you do to Lily seven years ago that she can't forget?" I asked.

James cringed and Sirius looked like he had no idea what I was talking about until he said. "Bad first impressions."

"Okay, well there has to be more than that. If you truly want Lily James, I would suggest you show her that you've grown up over the summer. I saw the real you a few weeks ago and let me tell you, I like him better. Sirius I have to admit you've matured a bit to, if only you realised that shagging girls wasn't the way of life." I told him and then left.

"Wait who told you I shagged them?" He asked me pulling me back into the compartment.

"Um, Lexie, Sarah, Francesca, Mandy, Madison, Tammy, the Slut Bunnies. Pretty much everyone else you walked into a broom closet with." I told him.

Sirius cursed out loud.

"Hey it's alright it's just that soon you're going to be out of options." I told him and once again tried to walk away.

"Wait." He called out. "What their saying it's not true. I've never actually had sex with a girl." He mumbled.

Luckily we were the only two in the corridor. "Are you serious?" I asked shocked.

"No that's me." I rolled my eyes. "That's the truth though I've never slept with a girl I'm just waiting for the right girl who doesn't want to be the typically hook up."

Wow I had never seen this side to Sirius. I thought he was the Hogwarts player. Well technically he was except he was still a virgin. It was just unheard of.

"Well I've got to go before the girls eat my pumpkin pasties." I grinned and walked off slowly trying to get that around my head.

* * *

_**A/N**_

_So how was that, I'm sorry it was a long chapter but I just wanted to introduce you to the characters. Lily and James are defiantly my main characters followed by Sirius then maybe Sammie but Lily doesn't have a classified best friend so it could be either Mary or Alice depends on how the story goes. All four girls are like sisters to each other. For any of you who didn't pick it up because I didn't really make it clear but the third part was Sirius' POV the rest should be pretty explanatory.  
Please R&R and let me know who your favourite characters are.  
It would be great if you tell me what you think so I know whether to keep writing or not. Even if you tell me you hate it. I would rather that to nothing.  
The next chapter should be shorter. Also I don't know how often I can update since I work around school and it depends on how big the next workload gets. It also depends on how the story line flows. I'm not J. and therefore cannot write seven thick fabulous, wonderful, amazing novels in a decade.  
__SpringBabe._


	2. Getting To Know Each Other

**If there's one thing that I love seeing, it's a review in my inbox. ***** Just a hint ****  
SpringBabe**

* * *

Getting To Know Each Other

So I may have missed the speeches and the sorting but I was preoccupied. Lily Evans just made it that much harder for me to concentrate on anything else. Yet I still managed to get decent grades. Her fiery red hair fell down her back in waves. I knew that she liked to take time with her hair. Sometimes it was straight and sometimes it was curly. When other times she took two seconds to put it up. It didn't matter how long it took it was always captivating. It's her eyes that make me melt every time I look at her. They're such an enchanting emerald colour that sparkles every time she laughs. That brings me to her smile. When she smiled she practically glows, the whole room lights up and yet she doesn't even realise the impact that she has on me and a few other guys in the school. Just like me the other guy's gazes follow her as she walks away. It's sad to realise how much I've fallen for her yet none of those feelings are returned.

She isn't like those other girls that knew they were pretty, yes she took the time to make herself look nice but she never really realised that her beauty is natural. She would apply the makeup but in my mind she doesn't need it. I'm sure there are many boys that think that but I've just scared them all off. I felt kind of bad that I was the reason she was never asked out. Sirius had helped me make sure all the guys in the school knew that Lily was mine the only problem was that the memo missed her. Actually I'm sure it got to her she just didn't like it and blew up in my face. She's a firework that one.

"Prongs. Prongs. Earth to Prongs. Prongs!" Sirius shouted causing the entire Gryffindor table to stare at him. Sirius just ignored them and looked at me. "Finally I've been trying to get your attention for ages."

"What?" I asked wishing I could be staring at Lily still.

"You were about to put your elbow in the potato." Sirius said stifling a laugh.

"Oh, well thank you for letting me know." I replied rolling my eyes at him.

"You're welcome; anyway since you're so keen to get Evans to like you don't take offence when she starts to like me as well." Sirius grinned.

"You're so full of yourself, if she doesn't like me then why would she like you?" I asked.

"Prongs the world doesn't always revolve around you sometimes you have to come second best. Sometimes you even have to come last." Sirius smirked sticking out his tongue.

"When did you become so wise?" Remus asked sceptically.

"All contra Moony my pal I've always been wise I just choose not to be." Sirius smirked at him.

Remus threw his chicken leg at him.

"Hey what was that for?" Sirius groaned.

His robes didn't actually look to bad until chicken grease landed on them.

* * *

"Don't look but guess who's staring at you again." Sammie smirked. "He is completely besotted with you and yet you don't give him the time of day."

"Please he isn't head over heels for me at all. It's all about the chase and I'm not going to give him the satisfaction of catching me only to throw me away the next day. He doesn't have me fooled into thinking I'm the only one for him when two hours after I've rejected him he is in a broom closet kissing who ever just passed him with breasts." I replied.

"Whatever Lil's but someday you'll have to give him a chance." Sammie told me before striking up a conversation with Mary and Alice.

There was no way I was giving him a chance. Not until he proves that he has grown up, when he stops harassing me and everyone else and maybe when cats start to sing.

Everything was fine until Sirius slid into a space in-between Sammie and me.

"So ladies, just think this time next year we won't be here. Where will you all be?" He asked holding his arm around my waist.

I shifted away slapping his hand. "Black seriously, knock it off. I want nothing to do with you. It's only the first day back I don't want to be annoyed by you and Potter so early on into this year."

"Suite yourself Evans but just think, while you were shouting at good ol Prongise on the train before did he ever shout back at you. Anyway what makes you thinks I was talking to you? You don't give me the time of day I was actually trying to kindly ask these three lovely ladies a question before you so rudely interrupted us." Sirius replied turning back to Alice, Mary and Sammie.

"Hopefully in a flat far away from my step mum." Mary replied.

"Don't worry I know all about family troubles." Sirius replied.

"Don't we all. You have to have the best in every situation even a family one. When are you going to realise that you're not always at the top." I told him.

"Actually Evan's you might want to know all the facts before you insult people. You know Regulus Black the 5th year Slytherin." Lily nodded, familiar with his unfriendliness. "Well he's my brother and for your information I couldn't stand my families prejudice ways any longer and moved out straight after our 5th year. Luckily James and his parents were kind enough to take me in." Sirius told me with a hurt expression.

When Sirius walked off Sammie and Mary shot me a look.

"That was rude, Lily." Sammie truthfully told me.

"I can't believe you just said that. Did you see how hurt he looked? You know what it's like to be hated by a family member image what he felt when he was living at home." Mary told me.

"You're right I can't believe I just said that. I was such a bitch to him." I groaned. "Maybe I should apologise."

"I think you should." Alice said quietly.

Wow this whole time she hadn't said a word.

"I will but once we get back to the Gryffindor tower." I sighed looking at my half eaten plate.

Right now I couldn't eat anything else. I felt terrible for how I treated Sirius. It looked like he did have feelings after all.

* * *

"What happened Padfoot? You left to go talk to the girls all cheerfully and you've come back looking like you've been slapped in the face." James asked.

"Fucking Lily Evan's that's what happened." I replied bitterly.

"What?" Remus, James and Peter all asked simultaneously.

"Yes I went over there to ask the girls a question and yes I did have my arm around Lily's waist, I just wanted to annoy her so we could have something to argue about. You see I've found a way I can work to your favour Prongs." I told him ignoring his puzzled look. "You remember when I went to Andromeda's for a few days to visit Ted and Dora. Well I saw this Muggle show with people called police. We learnt about them in Muggle Studies two years ago." I reminded them since I was the only one who kept up with it, mainly just to annoy my family. "Well they had this technique called the good cop bad cop. The bad cop makes the villain hate them and will show that he means business while the good cop reassures then villain that they are safe and acts trustworthy."

"And what does this have to do with Lily?" James asked.

"Well I wanted to aggravate her to start an argument. It worked then I played my move. I played the benefit of the doubt. I just told her how you didn't shout at her on the train. Well while she ponders that you make sure you don't shout at her, aggravate her or anything. That's what I'll do. Therefore she'll realise that she misjudged you." I told James.

Remus nodded along understanding what I was talking about. "That's actually not a bad idea Sirius. If you seem annoying and James doesn't she'll eventually notice the change."

I nodded and James caught on. "But what does that have to do with you walking over her like you have been stab in the back?"

"Oh well let's just say the argument got out of control and Evan's became very bitchy." I told him.

"I need more than that. Why did Lily become bitchy?" James asked me.

"Well after she shouted at me I asked the other three where they thought they might be this time next year. Well Mary responded with that she wanted to be in her own flat away from her step mum. I told her I knew all about family troubles-"

"But what does this have to do with Lily?" James asked again.

"I was getting there before you interrupted me. If you want to know stay quiet." That shut him up. "Anyway Evan's came back with 'you always have to be the best in every situation even a family one. When are you going to realise that you're not always at the top.'

"No!" James gasped. "She wouldn't have said that."

Remus also had a look of disbelief as well. Peter on the other hand went back to eating since all topics that involved Lily Evans bored him to death.

"Yes I told her the truth and walked off." I replied still a little sore at what the supposedly nicest girl in school said to me. "Prongs I don't think it's going to be hard for me to be the bad cop but please don't upset her anymore. Just remember that I am doing this for you. I'll will stick with it no matter how many hurtful comments she throws at me. Please make this worthwhile because I don't want to regret this any more than I am."

"Okay, you have no idea how much I want to go over there and make her apologise to you. I'm just hoping that she is just blowing off steam or getting it out of her system." James replied hoping for the best.

"Me too mate. me too." I replied before grabbing desert.

* * *

was about to leave and go up to the Gryffindor tower with the girls when McGonagall came up to me. "Miss Evan's you and Mr Potter are needed in the Headmaster's office." She told me handing me a sheet of paper which what I assume is the password.

I decided that I would wait for James instead of walking up to Dumbledore's office all on my own. I said goodbye to the girls just outside the great hall and waited for James to come out. 10 minutes later the Marauders walked out neither one stopping to look at me. Well I guess Sirius told them what I said. James left them and started walking up the stairs not waiting for me. Well I guess I deserved that. Only problem is his legs are so much longer than mine, meaning he takes longer strides and is already half way up the stairs. All the more reason to hate him. He didn't wait for me why did I bother waiting for him.

Why did I believe that he had changed over the summer? Funnily enough McGonagall only trusted me with the password so he had to wait.

"Not trustworthy enough for a password?" I asked with bit of sarcasm.

"No I just thought I'd wait for you. You know be a gentleman, let the lady go first that kind of thing." He replied.

Like I believed that. I said the password and the gargoyles let us up to Dumbledore's office. I knew he was expecting us I just didn't expect him to leave his door open for us.

"Miss Evans, Mr Potter please come in and have a seat." Dumbledore greeted once he saw us hovering in the doorway.

Both James and I took the comfy arm chairs across from his desk and sat down while the headmaster stayed standing.

"I just wanted you both to know that you have great responsibilities and duties as the Heads for this year. You also have many perks, like organising the Hogsmeade trips, any extra feasts or balls. One of the major perks is your own head dormitory which you will both share."

I groaned out loud that both James and Dumbledore looked at me.

"Come on Evans think of all the extra peace you will get." James told me.

"Like I'll get any peace and quiet when your friends are coming in and out." I snorted.

"What about your friends they're a giggly bunch they aren't going to make the place much quieter." James added. "Besides think of how much cooler it would not to have to fight for space in the Gryffindor common room."

I had to agree with that and showed it by shrugging my shoulders.

"Miss Evan's I know that you and Mr Potter don't get along but for the sake of the school you are going to have to sort out your differences. I picked you both because you balance each other well. You are both great leaders and show power when needed. Well I'll let you get back to your friends or your new rooms which ever you want to see first." Dumbledore told us.

Both James and I looked at each other without meaning too. "If it's alright would we be able to see were our new dorm is?" I asked.

"Certainly." Dumbledore replied going over to open the door and lead us out.

* * *

Turns out our dorms are only a floor down from the Gryffindor tower. Easy to get to once you know what you're looking for. The third mirror with a scarlet corner is the entry way. All you need is a password that both Lily and I managed to agree on. Dumbledore left us to see the room alone.

I had never seen something so amazing. Not wanting to make the ground dirty we both took of our shoes and kicked then to opposite sides of the door then went up five marble steps out of the entry way. The floor in our common room was white marble covered with a scarlet rug where two couches sat. On the left was a fireplace where two arm chairs were situated. Even though it wasn't cold a fire was lit giving a full effect to the room. There were two marble staircases leading to an upstairs. I took the one on the right while Lily was already halfway up the left.

I got to my room and saw the room I had always dreamed off, it was similar to my room at home. This room had a four poster king bed, a desk, drawers, walk in robe and a door leading to the bathroom I suspected. I took in more of my room such as the yellow and green walls. Green had been my favourite colour ever since I saw Lily's eyes. I decided to take a look at what was on the other side of the door. It would be pretty cool if I had an en-suite. When I opened the door it was almost like how I expected.

"What are you doing in my bathroom?" She asked.

"I was going to ask you the same thing?" I asked.

Well it clicked suddenly. How could Dumbledore not tell us about the combined bathroom situation? It was amazing though still following with the marble floor that was downstairs except the tiles were heated in here. The bath and sinks were also white while the shower was white with a tinted glass door. There were two glass shelves overhanging the sink and a cupboard under the sink.

"Well I'm going back to my room to unpack." Lily stated and rushed through her door back into her room slamming the door behind her.

Was it just my imagination or was Lily just blushing? Weird.

I couldn't wait to show Sirius and the others.

"Can we come to James, that way Lily won't have to come and get us and the tour will be over in one shot." Mary, Sammie and Alice pleaded once I told the other three Marauders they were coming to check out my dorm.

"Alright I guess so." I sighed.

I lead them into the room.

"Wow I'm so jealous of you two." Sammie gushed when she saw our common room.

"I don't know about you but I've found my new place." Sirius said with glee.

"Oh no you haven't this is mine and James' place." Lily said from upstairs.

"How did she hear that?" Peter whispered to me.

"Oh girls just have better hearing than boys." Mary answered him from behind causing Peter to jump.

Lily came downstairs.

"Well what do you think?" She asked her friends.

"This is bloody amazing I'm so jealous of you. Why couldn't you have stayed as a prefect and I could have gone straight to being Head Girl?" Mary stated.

Lily just laughed. "Well you're welcome here any time you like."

"Hey you just said I wasn't." Sirius pouted.

"Well I guess I can't stop you if I'm allowing Sammie, Mary and Alice here although it's up to James." Lily told him.

Sirius looked to me pleading with puppy dog eyes.

"What the hell I guess you can come whenever you want. But within reason." I warned him.

"Yay." He grinned jumping up and down on the spot.

What a child. The girls watched him with bemused looks on their faces.

"Okay so who wants a tour?" Lily asked.

Everyone did so I tagged along while they followed Lily up to her room.

"So this must be the first time you've ever had a guy in your room huh Evans?" Sirius asked with a hint of sneer. "Well I'm sure James can keep you company."

"Actually Black I have slept with a guy before." Lily told him.

Peter, Remus, Sirius and I stopped dead in our tracks. I didn't know this about Lily.

"Really?" Sirius asked with disbelief and shame.

I noticed Sammie giving Sirius an odd look while both Mary and Alice smirked. I guess it was because of our reactions.

Lily's room was amazing. The walls were painted green and brown, and the carpet was a moss colour and super soft. Her room looked just like a forest. Looking up I noticed the ceiling was painted black with white dots all over. I soon realised these were constellations. If only I continued with astronomy then would be able to tell what they were. We soon went through the bathroom and into my room. I was a little bit embarrassed about what my room would look like since Lily's was so magnificent and mine was well just two colours.

"This is just so you Prongs." Sirius exclaimed stepping into my room. "I hope you don't mind if I crash here tonight."

"Actually I do. As this is my room it's only meant for me." I told him shoving him out the door as soon as he got in.

"You're no fun." He pouted.

"Wow it's so cool, especially how the yellow and green blend together all the way around." Lily admired.

"Yours is so much cooler though." I told her.

It was defiantly a trick of the light because Lily's cheeks went a bit pink.

"Well mentioning sleep, we have classes tomorrow so I think you should all go back to your dorms." Lily told them all.

For once I agreed with her I felt like I needed a bit of privacy right now just to take in this awesome place.

They all moaned as we practically shoved them out into the corridor shutting the door as they left.

"Wait hold on Sirius I need to talk to you." Lily shouted after them.

I was confused by this but just waited on the other side of the door as I listened in.

"I'm sorry about what I said at dinner just before. You were right about everything you said. I had no right to insult you, even if I knew all the facts. I was just annoyed at you because you were right. I was such a hypocrite to you as well when I know what it's like to be hated by a family member although it sounded like your whole family hated you. Just so you know you are nothing like your brother or the rest of your family if they're just like him. You're brave and friendly which I hate to admit. You're loyal to your friends and nice to most people. I know you don't use girls so yeah I just wanted to apologise for what I said to you earlier." Lily told him sincerely.

I wanted to know what Sirius was right about but I thought it was best if they didn't know I was listening in.

"Wait so what you are saying is that you wouldn't have said anything if I wasn't right about the train incident and I should remember it's best if I'm not right in the future so you won't say anything else like that?" Sirius joked.

"Well you can be right I just won't like it. I really am sorry though I was bitch to and you haven't really deserved anything I say to you." Lily told him.

Damn this door, I wanted to see what Lily's body language was. If she was joking around or actually being serious.

"What about James? Does he deserve some of the things you say to him?" Sirius asked.

Now I didn't want to leave. I wanted to know what set me apart from Sirius. To that I got no reply but I heard footsteps coming closer and I sprinted to the couch.

"How much did you hear?" she asked as soon as she walked in.

"Umm" I replied trying to come off with a good number. She knew I was listening so it would be pointless to lie.

Lily interrupted my thoughts and spoke bitterly. "Well next time could you not be so rude and eavesdrop when the conversation has nothing to do with you."

How could she be so nice to Sirius and the next minute annoyed with me? What was it that she hated about me so much that she could tolerate Sirius? She's so sexy when she's angry. '

And then I heard a muffled scream from upstairs. Does she really hate me that much?

* * *

**A/N **

**Well there we go, chapter 2 is up. Have you changed your favourite character let me know. Mine's Sirius, not necessarily in my story but in other James & Lily fanfics I have read. I'm not one that normally swears so I apologise for swearing in this chapter but I think it helps portray that they are all 17. Not much more to say except enjoy and continue reading.  
SpringBabe. **


	3. A Week

Chapter 3: A Week

Avoiding Potter wasn't as easy as I thought. Even if we shared a dorm and are both heads of the school I didn't think he would be shadowing me every spare second we had. Every class I had he was there sitting behind me lazily rubbing his hand through his messy raven hair. How does his mother let him leave the house looking like that?

"You think it's sexy." Sammie muttered in my ear.

I blushed there was no way I thought James Potter was sexy, hot or at all good looking. I wasn't going to look around and see him swaying on the chair joking around with Black about some bimbo that they both shagged over the summer holidays. Then once class was finished he was hovering around like a lost puppy always asking if I needed help carrying my books treating me like I'm weak and made of porcelain.

Then there was Black. I thought that after the first night back we were understanding of each other and were almost up calling each other by our first names. Well all hope of that went out the window when I went down to breakfast Friday morning after a wonderful sleep. Potter of course was shadowing me and would draw his wand out and any guy who would look at me. I was annoyed at that so when Black decides to wrap his arm around my waist it tests my patience.

What a great start to the week and they hadn't decided to stop. I was regretting what I said to Black that first nice about him being nice since he wouldn't stop annoying me but it wasn't like he was assaulting me. Neither was Potter they were just being their annoying obnoxious selves. I had also been on edge the whole week waiting for the Slytherins to walk in the Great Hall with pink robes or double sized breasts for the guys since as head boy Potter knew the passwords but there hasn't been any of that. It didn't mean there wasn't going to be though and I was alert.

"Hey Lily, we've been here for a week now and we haven't had a sleepover in your room yet." Mary inquired.

"Yeah, I can understand the first two nights since it's your room and we all needed time to settle in. Then you claimed you had Head Duties. Before you know it the enchantment of your own room will die and we won't want to spend time with you in it." Alice said trying to guilt me into it.

"Well when you put it like that I guess it's tonight or never." I sighed pretending to feel ganged up on.

"Yay well we'll get the food and meet you there straight after dinner." Sammie exclaimed linking arms with both Mary and Alice and they walked off.

Damn the free that they have. Just my luck that I have ancient runes with Remus, Potter and Black.

"Oii flames." Black chimed.

"Flames?" I questioned.

"Yeah your nickname. See I'm Padfoot, James or as you refer to him Potter is Prongs and Remus is Moony so I think it's fair that you have a name too."

I groaned as Black linked arms with me and dragged me to class where both Remus and Potter were waiting.

Of course being the marauders and knowing about James' obsession with me Remus and Black took a table so Potter was alone in front of them. The only problem with their plan is that there are plenty of free desks. I looked around uncertain of where to sit. Was I really that mean that I would ditch James when he has been nice, extremely nice in an extremely annoying way? Silvia Loce was sitting by herself once again and completely solved my problems. Potter's could easily turn around and snicker or laugh with Black and Remus while the blonde haired Ravenclaw didn't have anyone. I guess she isn't one to associate out of her house since there were plenty of Hufflepuff's, two Slytherins, four Gryffindor's and one Ravenclaw in this class.

I caught Potter's eye as I walked past to where Silvia was sitting. There was something in his eyes that I had never seen before I didn't know what it was. It wasn't like him to have a blank expression either he was always smiling. It was a cute smile too. Wait I didn't think that did I?

"Hi." I whispered to Silvia.

"Oh, hi. Are you sure you want to sit here. It's just that I saw you looking at James and there's a spare seat next to him." She mumbled so only I heard.

"Please Potter and I don't get along. Besides I've seen you at the prefect meetings I thought that maybe we could be partners in this class." I suggest.

"I guess that would be okay, it's just I'm not normally a people kind of person but I know you, you're the nicest person at this school. I've seen you in the corridors lending a hand to anyone that needs it even the Slytherins." She praised. "You're also one of the best looking girls no wonder James made sure none of the guys here touch you."

"He did that." I fumed slightly put off by what she said. I was hardly good looking I mean yes I knew that I had a great figure but I wasn't stuck up to admit it. I also wasn't shallow enough to say I was fat either and make other girls feel bad but to be classified as one of the best looking girls that Potter had to let every guy know that I was unavailable. I defiantly wasn't the kindest person either, look at the way I treat Potter and Black. Well I now have a good reason to be angry at Potter but Black doesn't deserve the way I treat him.

I looked at the girl again and took in her appearance. Wavy blonde hair, dull blue eyes yet they suited her and complimented her. Her lips were a bright red even without lipstick contrasting her light skin. She was gorgeous.

"Hey so what do you normally do on Friday nights?" I asked putting Potter and Black far into my mind.

"Well sometimes I finish off my homework to spend time on the weekend with my friends or boyfriend otherwise my dorm mates will organise a sleepover that I'm not too keen on since all they have to talk about is the time they were in a broom closet with Sirius Black. I admit that he's good looking but appearances aren't everything." Silvia said as Professor Grend walked through the door.

"Attention class, today we will start our pair's assignment. So if you want to stay where you are sitting and work with the person next to you." Professor Grend announced and walked around handing out the assignment sheet.

"So you're saying that your room mates annoy you with constant Sirius Black talk?" I asked intrigued by this girl.

"Well it's not just that. They are a bit bitchy sometimes and will constantly flaunt that they did it with Sirius Black when all I got was 5 minutes. I mostly just hang out with the guys in my year at least then I don't hear about the blow job Sirius Black game Emma or the time Sirius Black smiled at Chloe Smitts."

"I can see how that can get annoying." I replied glancing a look over at Sirius who was arguing with Remus. "Well if you're not busy tonight why you don't come to my dorm for a sleepover that I'm having with the guys. I can't say that there won't be any talk about boys but I'm sure it will be slightly better than what you're used to." I offered.

"Well, I guess it would be nice to gossip with girls. Boys are hopeless at that." Silvia laughed and I had to agree with her.

* * *

The plan was going to work. Sirius had managed to get Lily to the lesson in one piece and then quickly took a seat next to Remus who Lily usually sat with. There was no flaw she would have to sit with me. That was until she chose a seat next to Loce. I didn't know if it was her being friendly and sitting next to the lone Ravenclaw who was pretty hot (of course nothing compares to my Lily). Or did she hate me that much.

Of course when Grend decided that today would be the day we would get our pairs assignment the class got worse. I was only taking it because Lily was in it. I know Remus was taking it because he enjoyed it. I didn't know why Sirius was in this class though.

"Ah Mr Potter I guess you may join both Mr Black and Mr Lupin for this assignment." Grend sighed knowing that I was going to do that anyway.

I gave him a smile as Sirius let out a yes that everyone but Lily and Loce heard since they were too busy chatting. Why are girls always talking? I didn't think that Lily would be like that but then again she is a girl and isn't as bad as everyone else. Actually halfway through the lesson it was only Sirius and I that were talking everyone else was too busy working. That was Remus' job in the group while Sirius and I are here to look good.

* * *

"Yo Lil's open up." Alice shouted from outside.

"Yeah Flames." I heard Sammie chuckle.

"What's going on?" Potter asked from the couch he was reading his magazine on.

"Nothing that concerns you Potter, I've invited the girls over for a sleepover." I told him coldly.

"Oh okay. Actually Lily before you answer the door. I have to ask you why do you hate me."

I wasn't expecting that I was expecting will you go out with me.

"Lily hurry up people are wondering what we're doing out here with an overload of food and bedding gear." Alice shouted.

"Just a minute." I shouted back not knowing how to respond to Potter's question. "Well Potter I didn't actually hate you, I despised you. You had everything and a great life that you had to ruin mine by asking me out every spare minute of the day then the next I would find you against the wall with some girl. Then and I only found out recently that you're the reason that no guy here has asked me out. Because of you I'm the poor girl that people think hasn't been kissed. Because of you all I've had is summer flings so you have a lot of nerve asking me why I hate you." I shouted at him then went to open the door.

"Hi guys sorry Potter kept me." I told them.

"Yeah we heard." Mary said with a sympathetic look she added with a whisper. "Is Loce supposed to be here?"

"Yeah I invited her." I said quietly so only she could hear.

"Okay then we'll just jump these in your room then." Sammie said noticing that Silvia was awkwardly standing behind everyone else. "Are you going to come up to Silvia?" She asked.

"Oh yeah, sure." Silvia stammered and followed the other three up to my room.

I walked into the common room expecting to find James there but he must have gone up to his room. I felt kind of bad that I told him that but he did need to hear it. The only problem was I think everyone else did too. I put all the food on the coffee table and noticed a piece of parchment sticking out for underneath the couch cushion. Potter must have left it behind or maybe stuffed it under when I walked in and forgotten all about it. Being the nosey person that I am I unfolded it hoping to find the plans for the latest prank he was planning with the other marauders so I could catch them in the act instead I found something different.

_Why I love Lily Evans_

_1. She is stunningly beautiful that words can't describe_

_2. She is the nicest person that I have met_

_3. She is smart I know she'll do great things when she graduates_

_4. Her hair is so captivating I could stare at it all day_

_5. green eyes, ever since I saw her eyes green has been my favourite colour. _

_6. Her smile_

I heard footsteps coming down the stairs so I quickly hid the parchment back where it was there was at least 20 points on there. There was no way I couldn't believe James now. Then the footsteps stopped and they got quieter. I saw a drop of water hit the ground and realised that I had been crying. I guess what James wrote really got to me. I quickly ran up to the bathroom hoping that the girls wouldn't walk down the stairs or that James would be in the bathroom.

* * *

So it was that simple. Lily hated me or as she put it despised me. Yes I asked her out every second of the day and yes I threatened the boys at the school but that was before I grew up and realised how immature I was. That was the old me hadn't she realized I had changed that I had grown up and that I wasn't the same as I was last year. This was my last year to make things right. My last year to win her over because there had to be a reason why I am so in love with her.

I knew why she would always say no to me whenever I asked her out. I would act like I was never serious about her since some hot long legged beauty would walk past pouting her lips straight after I shout out to her. I knew that I should just get over her but every time I see her I just want to kiss her. Before I go to sleep the last thing I think of is Lily and she's always in my dreams. How can I get over someone when they affect me like that?

"Lily, it's time to partay." Mary shouted from the staircase that led to Lily's room.

There was silence and then I heard footsteps coming up my staircase. All that I knew was that they weren't Lily's she despised me that much that it was obvious she wouldn't want to step into my room. Of course whoever it was didn't bother to knock and just barged in.

"Have you seen Lily she isn't in your common room?" Mary asked while Sammie just stared at me. Well mainly just my chest as I had taken my school robes off and slipped into pants without bothering to put a top on.

"No, the last I saw of her she was in the common room waiting for you. Next time you want to talk to me would you please knock? I could have been changing." I told them slightly annoyed.

Lily would probably be in the bathroom if she wasn't in the common room or her bedroom.

"That's kind of what we were hoping." Sammie smirked.

I couldn't help but smile back at her before remembering that was the old me I only had eyes on one girl. I didn't stray from her. Unless it was clear that she never wanted to go out with me. Which she had said constantly. Grr, my head was a mess now.

"Don't worry; we won't steal you away from Lily." Mary said and I realised they were still in my room. "Do you know where she might be?"

"Have you checked the bathroom?" I asked them rolling my eyes.

"Of course the bathroom or otherwise she left." Sammie said turning to Mary. "Thanks James can we go through your door?"

"You can try but I'm sure she would have locked it." I told them and left them to get into the bathroom.

Surprisingly the bathroom wasn't locked yet I could see Lily's fiery red hair from the corner of my eye. I tried to stop myself from looking to see what she was doing in their but I couldn't help it. I caught her reflection from the mirror. Her face was stained with tear drops and ruined mascara that indicated she had been crying. Plus she was crumpled against the wall crying.

"Um, Lily are you alright?" Sammie asked.

What a stupid question of course she wasn't alright. Yet it still had to be asked.

"What happened?" Mary asked going over to sit with Lily.

Thinking that I wasn't wanted or needed I decided to go back to my room and put a shirt on before going to join the marauders in the Gryffindor common room.

* * *

Lily choked back the tears and told us. She was so quiet that I couldn't hear her at first so I joined both Lily and Mary on the floor.

I couldn't believe it James adored her so much that he was willing to write everything that he loved about her down on parchment. I had to agree with Lily that he never really showed that he loved Lily when he would always badger her everyday and ask her out constantly knowing that he was going to be rejected.

"Come on Lil's you have a sleep over to attend we've just left Alice and Silvia alone." I told her.

Lily got up and saw herself in the mirror.

"Maybe you should clean yourself up first." I added as an afterthought.

"I have an idea let's have facials as well, go all out with manicures and stuff. " Mary suggested happily.

"Yeah that sounds cool; I'm not walking into my room until all the makeup is off my face." Lily told us.

I have to say tonight sounded pretty good even with Silvia joining us. It wasn't that I didn't like her. She was actually really nice she just wasn't one of us.

* * *

"Okay, I'll just go get it and then I'll be right back." I reassured the guys.

I walked into our private dorms and into the common room thinking that Lily and the girls were up in her room gossiping about whatever girls gossip about. Let's just say I was in for a shock when I walked through the common room. I was hoping to steal any food left out but instead I got greeted with five girls with greyish green crap on their faces. The way they all turned their heads to face me it was freaky. Like those clowns you see at Muggle carnivals expect scarier.

"Ahh, I've just got to get something." I stuttered hoping they couldn't see how nervous I was right now.

"James I need to talk to you." Lily said from where she was sitting.

She hobbled over on her heels since she had obviously just painted her toe nails.

"What do you want to say to me?" I asked heatedly even though I was trying to hide the smile because she called me James.

She looked a bit put off. Yes it was unexpected for me to sound like this around her but what did she expect. She treated me like shit so why should I treat her like an angel.

"Well I was just going to explain why we aren't in my room. You see I didn't want to get any facial mask products or nail polish on my carpet and there is more room down here."

"And it doesn't matter if you get it on the rug here?" I asked trying to show that I didn't have time for this. "Look the guys are waiting so I really need to get what I came in for." Actually this is easier than I thought. It still doesn't feel right though.

"Right well I just wanted to explain about our conversation before it w-"

I interrupted her right there. "Conversation, Evans you practically ripped my head off when I asked you a question."

"Yes well." She flinched from my harsh tone and glanced over at the girls who were listening intently to our conversation and not trying to hide it either. "Can we talk somewhere private?"

"Look you have until I find what I came in for." I told her already walking up my staircase indicating that she needed to follow if she wanted to talk to me.

"Ok, well I didn't fully finish what I was saying earlier it was just that I didn't want to keep the girls waiting. They aren't very patient and not fun to be around." She explained. "Well you see yes I despised you but that was before you changed, I mean you're still annoying because you are always where I am and think that I am incapable of holding my books-"

"Lily, it's time to take the masks off." I think it was Loce that called.

"Ok I'll be right down. So to answer your question properly I don't hate you. You have actually warmed up to me and are now at the annoying stage so I wanted to apologise about what I said I guess I just wanted you to know the difference between how I felt before summer and now. Oh and I hope you find what you were looking for."

She left me standing in the middle of my room with my mouth wide open. Lily Evans just apologised to me. Better yet she actually said a few sentences calmly and friendly. I almost forgot what I came up here for when the mirror in my pocket lit up.

Pulling it out of my pocket I saw Sirius' face. "Prongs would you hurry up people are starting to wonder what we are doing."

"Right, I've got the map now." I told him and then went out to meet them wishing the girls a good night.

"Guys I don't think we should do this." I sighed.

Sirius was going to give me hell since I had changed my mind once again.

"What is it this time?" Sirius asked with a sigh. "What harsh things did flames call you this time?"

"None, she actually apologised to me and told me what she really thought of me." I responded with a grin.

"That you're an arrogant toe rag." Peter guessed raising an eyebrow.

"Nope she told me that she didn't hate me and that I am only annoying." I grinned brightly.

"So before you went to get the map you decided that you were going to give up on her since you knew what she really thought of you and now you're grinning because she called you annoying." Sirius asked.

"Yep, hey it's better than her despising me. At least she's noticed that I've matured." I said still grinning.

"Finally our plans working. What did she say about me? Did she mention me at all? Surely I get some credit for this." Sirius questioned and Remus rolled his eyes.

"Nope sorry Padfoot, but I don't think she hates you either. I think we're growing on her." I replied with an even bigger grin.

"Ok well, seeing as you are now in her good books we obviously can't prank the Slytherins now. I say we go back to the Gryffindor Common room and come up with phase 2." Sirius decided.

"Can I ask what's phase 2?" Remus asked.

"It's getting Lily to like James. Phase 3 is when Lily says yes to him. Phase 4 Lily says yes to James but this time when he proposes. Phase 5 is when they get married and are happily in love. Then Phase 6 is when little Sirius Jr is born. Phase 7 is when I'm announced godfather of the little rascal. Phase 8 is when we all live happily ever after." Sirius said dazedly.

The three of us looked at him with raised eyebrows. "Padfoot you need help. I'm all for your plan except for phase 6 and 7." I told him.

"Yeah I think I've got a better shot at being godfather to Lily and James' kid." Remus proclaimed.

"Oh yeah why's that." Sirius shot back.

"Because I'm more responsible with you." Remus told him sticking out his tongue.

Well somehow we ended up racing to the Gryffindor tower and almost ran into someone.

"I heard what you said and don't worry Lily will know all about your scheme." Snape sneered and walked away before I could say or do anything else.

That I was slightly worried about. There was a small chance that Lily would believe whatever he said about me even if they were no longer friends.

* * *

A/N

So I'm thinking that there may be more of Lily's POV although it depends on how it all plans out. I do love adding in the marauder stuff. I would love to have Sirius as a friend since he is so laid back and loyal to his friends. Pulling out of a prank to help James get his girl. I'm thinking there might be a few of Sirius' and Sammie's POV but it is focused on Lily and James as I am sure I have mentioned before. Anyway enjoy reading.  
SpringBabe  
xx


	4. Secrets and Lies

Chapter 4: Secrets and Lies

"Well, well, well if it isn't the little Mudblood." Avery smirked. Regulus Black

"What do you want Avery." I spat, the term Mudblood no longer affected me especially when it came from the mouths of wannabe death eaters.

"Just wanted to remind you that this is Slytherin territory, no Mudbloods are wanted here we don't need the air here polluted with dirty blood. Besides you really need to know your place in this school." Avery said twirling his wand in his hand like he could easily take me on.

That didn't terrify me; I knew my wand was in my pocket. Avery wasn't much of a threat, he was a sixth year and Black was a fourth year. The only problem was that there were two of them and I guessed the graduated Death Eaters have shown them a few tricks.

"So before anything happens let me remind you of where you should be." Avery smirked once more and without warning my arms and legs were tied to my body.

This caused me to lose my balance and I fell backwards onto the hard stone floor.

"Let's start with the purebloods shall we." Avery said with two fingers under my chin so I was looking at him. "Such a pretty face it's a shame really." He muttered to Black.

Regulus sniggered as he went to my side and grabbed my wand out of my robe pocket.

"Now let's start with the purebloods since there are two types. First there are the purebloods like us," Avery gestured to himself and Regulus, "that realise it's a mistake to taint the magical community with blood such as yourselves. Then there are the blood traitors who are on the same level as half bloods. Now half bloods aren't that bad especially when they aren't the direct offspring of a Muggle. Now your friends there are the blood traitors associating with Mudbloods and offering to protect your kind. They are going to end up the same way as you Mudblood."

"Ah yes let my dear blood traitor brother know that he is making the biggest mistake that he could since he still considers himself a Black. No Black has ever associated himself with MudBloods or blood traitors and he is going to meet the same sticky end as you're friends. He should have realised what a blessing it is to be part of the Noble House of Black instead of flitting away to live with the Potters." Regulus droned on and on.

I couldn't believe that Sirius had to put up with this for 15 years it was a miracle he turned out the way he did. He was so kind and loyal. I realised now that Sirius and James were kind blokes they only ever hexed those that deserved it. It only took me seven years and this moment to realise it. They were excellent Gryffindor's and for some reason the thought of them finding me being tormented by Slytherins was embarrassing. I couldn't believe that I had been making myself look weak in front of the Slytherins. I always walked away from confrontations and threatened them with detentions but I never drew my wand not when they did. Maybe I was scared but I think I was more scared of the thought I would lose my reputation instead it looked like I was a coward. They thought I couldn't defend myself. Well they made a mistake by tying me up. Yes I was a Muggle born but I'm proud to be one. I get to live in both worlds I know more than they do. I bet they have never seen a T.V.

Luckily for me. Avery wasn't very strong at non verbal spells.

"Well Mudblood it's time you realise what happens to lowlifes like yourself in this world. Cru-"

Before he could finish that word I rolled to the side and started to wriggle out of the rope. It was a bit of struggle but I was out before both the Slytherins could say the next spell. Since Black had yet to learn non-verbal spells it was easier to dodge the spells coming from him as I knew what they were. It was harder to dodge what Avery shot at me but I still managed to jump out of the spells path. Since I had nothing to fight back with I couldn't put up a shield charm of disarm them I had to result to Muggle fighting. Something I never thought I would have to do.

Still dodging the spells I managed to jump out of the way of Black's reducto curse and avoided being thrown into the wall behind me. I moved closer to the fourth year since my wand was sticking out of his pocket. Avery saw what I was doing and waved his wand at me. I just managed to duck as the curciatus curse flew past my right ear deafening me a little bit. Ignoring the ringing in my ear I focused on getting my wand back so I could disarm these freaks.

Black started to get worried and my wand dropped out of his pocket. I dove for it at the same time Avery shot a stinging curse at me. I rolled out of the spells path but I wasn't quick enough I still got hit by the curse. I ignored the pain in my right leg from where the spell hit me and stood up. Bad idea my leg nearly gave way. I ignored all the messages my bodying was sending me and resisted the urge to fall to the floor into a crumpled heap. I wasn't going to give in and let them beat me. I was a Gryffindor for goodness sake. I was defending myself from Slytherins and in the meantime slightly fighting for what I believed in.

I put all my energy into my disarming spell and managed to disarm Avery. Black looked frighten now. I bet they didn't believe that I would be able to beat them. Even if he was frightened he still kept it up and shot all the spells he knew. Some I didn't even recognise. I threw a stunner at him but he moved to the left. I then shot a leg locker curse which he blocked. I had to admit this was enjoyable far better than duelling in DADA. Even if he didn't know non-verbal spells Black proved to be better than Avery who was on the ground moaning. The wuss I only disarmed him but for go measures I decided to lock his legs together as well. Eventually Black started to tire and I got the better hand of him. I shot a jinx to his left and as he moved to the right I threw a disarming spell at him. His wand flew into my hand and ignoring his stunned look it conjured some rope and cast a spell that tied the two Slytherins together.

I had both their wands but I couldn't just leave them where they were and go find a teacher to hand the wands to. I couldn't give them back their wands either and punish them with a detention. This was far out of my hands it was up to Professor Slughorn and Dumbledore to decide on their punishment. The only option was to wait for a teacher or prefect to come past and deal with this mess. Now that I wasn't occupied on disarming them I remembered the amount of pain I was in. It was almost unbearable. My right leg was stinging badly and I had a nastily cut on my arm. My right ear was ringing as well as my head and back aching badly from when I hit the floor.

It was getting late and I was supposed to have been back in the Gryffindor Tower at least half an hour ago. Hopefully the others weren't getting worried. Now that James and I were kind of talking to each other he would probably get all the seventh years and host a search party for me. I knew that Sammie and Alice would be worried for me but Mary knew I was capable of looking after myself. After all she was with me when I managed to disarm both Snape and Malfoy in the library a few years ago; they couldn't think anything terrible would happen to me would they. After all this was Hogwarts after all. No one had died in a bloody school before.

* * *

"Lily should have been back fifteen minutes ago. What's taking her so long?" James asked pacing himself back and forth his common room.

"James chill, she's a big girl she can handle herself. I'm sure she'll be back soon maybe she just found some trouble she had to deal with." I told him.

"Maybe but why would it take fifteen bloody minutes. You've had to deal with trouble when you've patrolled Moony and have been back five minutes late at the most." James protested still pacing back and forth.

We heard a knock through the wall. It wasn't Lily since she knew the password and would just walk in complaining about first years planting dung bombs.

James went to open the door hoping to find Lily but instead he groaned as he let whoever it was in.

"Nice to see you to Potter." Silvia Loce greeted. "Black, Lupin Pettigrew."

We nodded our heads at her.

"Have, you seen Lily we were supposed to meet up just before curfew in the library to talk about our assignment but she never showed up."

"You see something's wrong we need to find her now. Moony and Padfoot you can search the 7th floor, Astronomy tower and Divination tower. Peter you and Loce can search around the Ravenclaw area. I'll round out Sammie, Mary and Alice and get them to join the search as well." James ordered.

"Hold on Prongs, she is obviously patrolling. Where was she supposed to be?" Sirius asked.

"The Dungeons." James said turning white.

"Prongs you idiot, that's Slytherin territory why did you let her go alone." Sirius shouted.

"Calm down, Lily can take care of herself. James you and Lily still aren't on the best terms so Sirius and I will go down and find her." I told him.

James was about to disagree with me but everyone else agreed and James was over ruled.

"Fine, Loce I'll take you back to the Ravenclaw tower." James replied sounding defeated.

"Potter I can take care of myself and make my own way to the Ravenclaw tower. I've lived there for seven years I don't think I'll get lost." Silvia smirked at him and left with Sirius and I.

X

Once Silvia walked in front of us we quickly took a detour up to the Gryffindor tower to get the Marauders map so we would know exactly where she was.

I groaned the map showed Lily, Avery and my dear brother all not moving just outside the main potions class.

"There." I pointed showing Remus.

"Okay will if we take the shortcut behind Barnabas's tapestry we will end up here just around the corner." Remus told me.

Thinking the worst and that all three of them were unconscious we started to run. We got to the tapestry in no time and before we knew it we were standing right in front of a scratched and bruised Lily. Reg and Avery were both tied up.

Lily looked exhausted and I wondered just how long she was duelling the two Slytherins for.

"Thank goodness Lily, James has been so worried. We thought something might have happened to you." I said checking over her injures.

Her left arm had a nasty cut that was still bleeding and there were drops of blood all around her. Her right leg had a big purple bruise that recognised as a mark from a stinging jinx. Unfortunately my father used that on me when I came back for the Christmas holidays talking about my new friends.

"I'm fine he didn't need to worry. Can one of you please go get Professor Slughorn; I've been waiting for ages for someone to walk past." Lily said weakly.

"You go get Slughorn; I'll take her up to the hospital wing." I told Remus.

"No, we can't leave them until Slughorn comes and besides I don't need the Hospital wing. I'm not that hurt." Lily protested as Remus left.

"Lily it looks like you've been hit with a stinging jinx. You have a nasty cut on your arm and are covered in bruises. It's a miracle that you're this good. I've seen some of the spells Regulus has been taught." I told her.

"I don't need the hospital wing; Madam Pompfrey will keep me there overnight when I only need to clean the cuts. I have a healing kit in my room that works fine." She protested again.

"Fine but James is going to be worse than Madam Pompfrey when he finds out what happened." I told her sternly.

"He isn't going to know, think of what he'll do when he finds out they gave me a scratch do you really want him to do that to your brother." Lily pleaded.

"We gave you more than a scratch Mudblood consider yourself lucky that the cruciartus missed you or you wouldn't be talking now." Avery spat.

"You what?" Slughorn boomed as he rounded the corner with Remus.

Excellent timing although if he was any later Lily wouldn't need to worry about James hexing the two boys into a mash of body parts, she would have to worry about me.

"Here are their wands sir?" Lily said standing up weakly and handing them to the professor.

"Good work Miss Evans I'm ashamed that such behaviour has come from my house but don't worry they will be punished fairly. Using the cruciartus curse on a student, not to mention the Head Girl." Slughorn muttered untying the two boys.

Remus came over to help me support Lily.

"Miss Evans I think you should go to the Hospital wing and get yourself checked." Slughorn suggested.

"But sir I still have those healing potions you gave me last year I'm sure that's exactly what Madam Pompfrey would give me so I think it's a waste of a visit besides it's just a scratch." Lily reassured.

"Very well but I don't want to see you in my potions class tomorrow morning. I want to hear that you are resting and recovering." Slughorn boomed.

"What about me sir?" I asked pretending that I was duelling the two boys to.

"Mr Black from what Mr Lupin has informed me; you two arrived and found the two boys tied up and Miss Evans waiting patiently. I expect you in my class on time."

"Well it was worth a shot." I mumbled which Slughorn just laughed at.

* * *

"So where's Lily?" I asked Sirius when he walked in.

Since Peter decided to go back to the Gryffindor tower I decided I'd go with him and wait for Sirius and Remus to come back.

"She's back in her room now. Apparently Slughorn found her towards the end of her rounds and asked if she could help him with something. He didn't realise how long he had kept her and told her not to come to class tomorrow since he was sure she needed some rest after rounds and then helping him." Sirius told me over the top of Peter snores.

"That's unusual for a teacher to need help after curfew but I guess Lily is his top student. Lucky her that she doesn't have to go to class tomorrow." I sighed thinking of my red haired beauty.

We had just started to talk to each other whenever we were doing homework alone in our common room but I wouldn't say we were friends at least now we were on first name bases now.

* * *

I had managed to stop the pain in my leg and the bleeding in my arm. I also managed to clear the cut so no one would know I got hit there. I had a few scratches on my face that I never noticed until I woke up this morning and applied my make-up a little thicker to hide the marks. My back on the other hand was extremely stiff when I woke up and I had nothing to fix that. It was something I was just going to have to put up with. Even if I wasn't going to potions I still needed breakfast and wanted to enjoy the usual morning chatter from my friends and the marauders. This morning though Sirius was watching me very carefully and when James left to go find some pumpkin juice he lent over the table and whispered to me.

"Okay so James thinks you were just helping Ol' Sluggie until we came to find you. He also thinks this is why Slughorn has granted you permission to skip class this morning. Also I think you should avoid the Slytherin area especially if you're alone. I'm sure there is going to be more of them now." Sirius warned me. "Oh and Lily you owe me."

Grr now I'm in debt to Sirius. Knowing him I would be getting him out of a few detentions.

"Well we better get to potions padfoot. You don't look that tired Lily." James noted. "Is that a bruise under your eye?" He asked looking closer at my face.

"No." I replied a bit too quickly. "It's just the shadow you've made." I squirmed.

James accepted this answer and left with Sirius, Remus, Alice and Sammie. Only Mary, Peter and I left.

"So Lily, what really happened last night?" Mary asked on our way to the Gryffindor tower.

She had seen my discomfort when I was climbing up the stairs. I was wincing with pain with every step I took.

"I'll tell you when we're alone." I said through gritted teeth.

Mary understood enough to keep the truth away from James and the others and had some Herbology leaves and plant sap that was great for soothing back pain. She gave me some headache potion that her step mother once tried to overdose her with. Silvia also didn't buy the fake I was a good head girl helping a teacher act but we were within earshot of James and I didn't need him to over react over something small.

I decided to go to the library after lunch for my free and find some information about my ancient runes assignment since I skipped it yesterday. Silvia had divination so she couldn't help me. Although as soon as I found a book someone slid into the chair across from me.

"So I've come up with something you can help me with?" Sirius stated.

"Wow you don't waste time do you." I said cracking a smile. "What detention do you want me to get you out of? Because you realise it won't work if you've been busted in the midst of a prank."

"Ouch Evans, did you really think that's the only thing I'm capable of." Seeing my raise eyebrow he quickly replied. "Alright don't answer that. Prongs and I are over pranking anyway. It's such a petty thing to do. Anyway I need your help with finding someone."

This was getting interesting. Although I was hoping this wouldn't be more trouble than it's worth.

"Okay as long as I'm not tracking down a criminal or something. Wait is this a student?" I asked not wanting to get mixed up with any dangerous person Sirius has hung around outside of Hogwarts.

"Of course it's a student. In cause it hasn't clicked, there aren't many people I associate with outside of the castle. Although I do need to find out where Andromeda lives." He muttered to himself.

"Sirius who exactly am I looking for?" I asked snapping him out of his thoughts.

"Right well you remember the end of year party in the Gryffindor Tower at the end of 5th year?" He asked.

"How could I forget I was the only one completely sober trying to get everyone to be quiet before McGonagall came to investigate?" I mused.

"Well you probably remember that all the marauders were drunk that night." Sirius added.

"You were completely intoxicated and out of it. How did you manage to find your way around that night?" I asked with a chuckle.

"Yeah that's the thing. There was this girl. I can remember her touch and her kiss the only problem is that I don't remember anything else about her. Except her eyes. Those dark chocolate eyes. All dreamy and-"

"Sirius." I snapped my fingers in front of him. Snapping him out of the memory. "I really don't want to hear about this girls eyes. Anyway she would have to be a Gryffindor and we can count out the 2nd and 1st years although I also hope we can count out the 3rd years." I noted.

"That's the thing I'm not sure we can tick off all the Gryffindor's, I don't think this happened in the common room." Sirius stated.

"How can you be that drunk? Never mind." I said not wanting to lower his self esteem. "Well I'll see what I can do but I'm not wasting valuable study time."

"Valuable study time. Lily it's only a month in I'm sure you can-" He stopped when he saw my glare, "fine study comes first."

* * *

I heard everything that they said. They weren't bothering to whisper and I was only behind the shelves. I guess that's a pro of being small you can hide without realising it. I couldn't believe that he still remembered that night but it was over a year ago and he has almost shagged every other 7th year in this school. There was no way I was going to tell him it was me. He would be so disappointed when he realised who he really kissed. We got so close to taking our clothes off but all that night was was lust. I had just been dumped by Jason Ziler, one of the Ravenclaw jerks that graduated last year and is rumoured to be a death eater. He was just drunk and realised that I was standing by the fire whiskey alone.

One thing led to another and we were outside looking for a broom closet until he suggested a broom closet. I was drunk enough to agree but not drunk enough that I had lost my memory. I had remembered everything when I woke up with that heavy hang over the next morning. Making out on the bed in whatever room we were in. His shirt was off and I was licking his abs. He got my shirt off and fumbled in his pocket for something.

Now thinking back I'm glad he didn't have that condom. I am also glad we decided not to go through with it. He could have gotten me pregnant. Imagine trying to raise Sirius Black's kid at just 16. After what happened the next morning when both Sirius and James were talking about the girls they could hook up with over summer and the next year I knew it didn't mean anything. It didn't mean anything now to him either all he wanted was to shag the one last girl he got halfway with. I know what Sirius is like can't leave any girl behind. There was no way that was going to happen not after the way he forgot about me so easily. I can't believe that I thought that he would remember me when he thought he was so cool being drunk. That was the last time I feel for the bad boy type. Now I've been attracted to the book worm types, the Remus Lupin types although the ones that aren't full of a mystery and idiot friends.

* * *

A/N

So Chapter 4 is up. I hope you like it. This is slightly more T rated then my other stories but they are teenagers after all. Well enjoy.  
Just for a little background information what house is everyone in. If you're a big potter fan you know what I'm talking about. It looks like the main POV's will be Lily's since I find it easy to write from her perspective.  
SpringBabe.


	5. Forgiveness

Thanks to:

Whatareyourunningfrom for reviewing and letting me know what you thought of the first few chapters.

Tanja88 for letting me know that you are enjoying this story so far.

Here is the next update. Chapter 5.  
SpringBabe

Chapter 5: Forgiveness

Surprisingly Lily and I were getting along well. She hadn't blown up at me since I asked why she hated me. Although something was missing. I could see friendship happening but every time she would smile at me or laugh she would stop abruptly. It was like she was forcing herself not to.

I would give anything to see that smile. Radiant white teeth, glistening in the sunlight or candle light depending on the time. The way she wrapped her hair around her finger as if curling it when she thinks is so damn sexy I can barely contain myself. There is just something about Lily Evans that makes me never want to leave her. Yet she is so full of mystery. There is so much I don't know, so much I want to know but there is something stopping us from becoming friends. Something stopping me from knowing her.

As the days got colder everyone started to spend more time inside. Lily spent a lot of her time studying by our fire and then once she finishes that she is either with her friends, in the library with Loce or in the library with Sirius. I'm not exactly sure why Sirius is in the library or better yet in the library with Lily. Something had happened between the two of them, and as much as I wanted to rely on the fact that Sirius is like a brother to me, I have a sinking feeling that he is trying to steal my girl away from me. Why else was he so keen to jump in and hoist a plan that required no pranks. No I had to keep reminding myself that he wouldn't do that. He was my right hand man, my brother.

It didn't matter about Sirius and Lily as right now since she was sitting by the fire writing her potions essay all alone in our common room. Pouring over text books and twirling her hair in that excruciating painful to watch without kissing her way, yet it was so beautiful I couldn't help but stare. Her long red hair flowing freely down her back. It was curled today, like most days but today it just looked different.

Normally I hate silence but right now watching Lily as she worked I liked it. I felt like I was ruining a moment if I spoke. Without a word I took out my books and sat down opposite her. We worked silently just enjoying each other's company not wanting to ruin anything. Or at least that's what I thought. I don't know how long we were working like that but I managed to get my charms and half my potions essays done. Now I understand how much easier it is to complete homework without some people constantly chatting. Normally Peter and Sirius now I know how Remus feels when he wants to get his homework done and the three of us want to go explore.

"Prongs, hurry up we have Quiditch practise in 15mins and since you're captain I think you should be there on time. Besides we have that other thing tonight." Sirius shouted through the wall.

Crap I forgot to check the time. I rushed upstairs and quickly changed into my Quiditch robes grabbing my broom from under my bed and running down to meet Sirius outside only to find him sitting in the common room talking to Lily.

"Sirius not right now. You obviously have Quiditch practise and more pressing matters tonight. I'm not going to do this for you unless I know that you are 100% committed to finding this girl." Lily sternly told him.

What on earth were they talking about?

"Padfoot lets go we now have 10 minutes to get down to the pitch." I told him tugging on his sleeve pretending that I had heard nothing. Although it hurt to know that my best friend got along with my girl better than I did.

* * *

The common room was too quiet once James left. I liked the silence before when we were both working, not saying anything. It actually made me forget about the past and think about starting over. Now with only silence to annoy my thoughts, memories of everything James had ever said to me and around me flooded my mind. He didn't even apologize for one. That's why I have to stop myself from smiling or enjoying myself around him. I can't like him until I forgive him and I can't forgive him until he apologizes. I have to admit though he has changed and I'm beginning to see that. I also have to agree with every other girl at this school. James and Sirius both hold the spot for the hottest guys although I haven't seen Sirius with his shirt off but if he's body is anything like James' well I'd be impressed. My past boyfriends could never pull off the body James had. Not that I've looked I just accidently caught a glimpse when I walked on him in the bathroom. Luckily he had a towel wrapped around him. His toned, tanned athletic body is something every girl dreams for in a guy and I share a room with that guy.

No, I can't like him at least not until I can forgive him. Normally I'm a forgiving person as long as they apologise to me but James has never apologised for anything. He never once said sorry for the pain he caused me. Snape, who called me a mudblood when we were supposed to be friends. Although then we were starting to drift apart apologised to me straight away and I forgave him. Although I told him we couldn't be friends anymore. That was what finally made me open my eyes. I also forgave Sirius when he put me in nearly as much pain as James did. So why couldn't I forgive James? He doesn't have to apologise to me does he? I actually want to be his friend.

I've seen how much fun Sammie has with the marauders and I want that. I want to be friends with them as well, be able to joke around with them and introduce them to girl's gossip. So far out of the four of them I'm only friends with Remus, Peter hides whenever I'm in the same room as him, Sirius and I are to different. He is the Hogwarts womaniser and I'm the Hogwarts virgin. Yes I told him I've had sex but I lied I didn't want the guys to know that I'm practically a nun. That's an embarrassment for a 17 year old who's only no more than a hook up. Then there was James. I wanted to give him a chance I really did. It was just that I had given him a lot of chances when we were younger.

But we were young it doesn't mean anything now does it. Does it count this year since so far James has shown no sign of the guy he was last year and I shouted at him because that's what I was expecting. I shouted at him because he was Head Boy when he is a pretty impressive Head Boy, when he asked me why I hated him and when I walked on me brushing my teeth. I was fully clothed then and didn't look his side of the door so he didn't deserve to be yelled at. Not once this year. Maybe I should just treat each year as a new start then he won't be the one needing forgiveness, he's done nothing wrong all year when I've yelled at him, put him down, lied to him and caused his friends to lie to him. Maybe this whole time it has never been James it has always been me. Maybe I'm the one that needed to grow up.

Wow this is what happens when you're left alone in your own silence. You go crazy and start arguing with yourself. I need to get out and join the chaos in the courtyard, distract myself because this essay isn't working.

Looking out the window I could see Alice and Peter talking to Remus and Peter while Mary was standing off the side avoiding the two boys. Her step mum had basically brain washed her into thinking she wasn't worth any guy. Maybe I could set her up with Remus. He was perfect for her. They only problem is that won't do it. Not a real relationship, not when he was a werewolf. He had convinced himself that he could hurt anyone who has a relationship with him. Maybe that's why he's been caught in more broom closets then James has. Although Sirius holds the title. Soon there will be no girls left and I doubt he's going to find this mystery girl.

"Lily," I stopped dead in my tracks I was so close to the courtyard too. Why would he talk to me?

"Snape you lost the right to call me that over a year ago." I said through gritted teeth. It was hard to believe this greasy git as James puts it, was my first friend here.

Oh god I'm beginning to think like him. What's wrong with me?"

"Lily," he repeated ignoring my glare. He had no right to call me that. We aren't friends only friends use each other's names here. "I don't see why we can't still be friends. You never used to care that I was a Slytherin and I'm sorry for calling you that word."

"What word, don't act like saying it will cause me to shatter. Mudblood. It's just a word right and ever since you called me that the word has never had the same effect on me. Besides like I told you. I forgave you when you apologised but I haven't forgotten. I never will. That was when I finally opened my eyes and realised you weren't the same as the 11 year old boy I became friends with. The boy I used to prank Petunia with. It's not because you're a Slytherin and I'm a Gryffindor. It's because we have chosen different paths. Completely different paths. You're fighting to end my kind. You're fighting against Muggles, Muggle borns and blood traitors. Anyone who taints the pure blood status while I'm fighting for the Muggle borns, Muggles and alongside the blood traitors. We've chosen completely different lives. We're basically enemies now." I told him raising my voice slightly.

"Well do enemies warn each other? I've heard what Potter and Black have been saying about you. Their new plan to win you over. All you have to do is smile at them and they think they're getting somewhere with this new plan to get you to go out with Potter. Also when they do find away to charm you into marrying Potter, Black's called dibs on godfather. I thought you should know before they embarrass you again. That's what friends do right? Warn each other."

When was he going to get it into his head? "We are not friends." I screamed at him. "How many times do I have to tell you that?"

"Well whatever we are I still thought I should warn you so you can avoid any further embarrassment. Potter getting Head Boy is enough you don't need any more." He said walking away down into the darkness of the dungeons.

Why did Snape just putting down James annoy me so much? He couldn't see how much James deserved the position he had. Why was I thinking this I hated him only a few weeks ago and now I'm not sickened at the thought of James Potter asking me out anymore? I needed to find the girls desperately. They'd know what to do.

* * *

I had to figure out what got Lily to like Sirius and the only reason to do that was to ask him. Something I was dreading I didn't want to know how much she liked him or that they were close to going out.

"Sirius what changed between you and Lily?" I asked.

"Nothing really. We still aren't friends. I did her a favour so now she owes me one." He replied.

Phew that was it, he didn't like her and she didn't like him. I can relax again. I don't know why I thought that they would be going behind my back. I knew that Lily wasn't really mind but it would still be a betrayal if Sirius starting going out with her.

"Although I don't think the good cop, bad cop thing is going to work anymore. I don't want to get on Lily's bad side again." Sirius added.

Maybe there was something going on between them after all, it wasn't like Sirius to worry about getting on Lily's bad side. He never cared when we used to. He even enjoyed it.

"Just see what happens when you apologise to her. Apologise for everything you've done to upset her. Maybe then she'll open up around you a bit more." Sirius said turning left to walk up to the Gryffindor tower while I followed the corridor back to my dorm.

Just apologise to her. I can't believe I have never apologised to her before. There is just so much to apologise. I never said sorry for the broom incident where I stuck glue to the broom hoping it would be for Snape, but she got on it and couldn't get off. I'm the reason she hate's flying. I'm the reason why she feels obliged to help up anyone that has been knocked down. The first time we bumped into her I pushed her down and didn't bother to look back and see what damage I caused. I'm the one that hexed Snape just because she liked him more and didn't hide it. There was no wonder why she hated me. I just can't believe I never said sorry. How do you say sorry to someone for things you did more than five years ago and mainly because she would never give you the time of day.

I'm also the reason she's ended up in the hospital wing a few times. When I was showing off in potions and caused my cauldron to explode all over her. Just her too. Or the time in defence when I wanted to impress her with my reducto curse and ended up blasting her into the stack of shelves. How do I even apologise for that.

"James." I heard when I walked through the door.

"Lily there's something I need to say to you." I blurted out before she could interrupt me even though I had just interrupted her first.

"Ok." She smiled weakly.

"Lily I just want to apologise for everything I have done to hurt you. The first time being when we were 11 and I pushed you over without bothering to check and see if you were ok. Then when Sirius and I were teasing Snape on the train and also put you down. I'm so sorry for the sticking charm that I put on your broom even though it was intended for Snape." She looked like she was about to interrupt so I just kept going. "I'm also very sorry for sending you to the hospital wing numerous times because I was showing off and trying to impress you. I'm sorry for spilling mash potato in your hair and other food that I've knocked onto you. I'm also sorry for being the Head Boy when you were obviously counting on Remus for that job." I finished and just stood there waiting for some kind of reaction.

Laughter wasn't it.

"James there are some things such as you being Head Boy that you couldn't help. Yes at the start of the year you wouldn't have been my first choice actually you would have been around the last choice but now I wouldn't choose anyone else. There is a reason why Dumbledore chose you for the job. It suits you perfectly." She praised and I grinned. "Finally you've apologised. I've been waiting for some sort of apology for seven years and now I've got it. Now I can finally become friends with you although I was going to break the promise to myself and forgive you without an apology I guess that shows how much you have matured and how much I want to be friends with you and the other marauders although I don't know about me and Sirius. We are just two different people I don't know how much of him I can handle."

Was I hearing her right did she just say she wanted to be friends with me, and that she didn't know if she could handle Sirius. This was almost better than Christmas. I wanted to ask her out but I didn't want to push it. Let's stick with friends until I know that she wants more.

"Okay friends it is. Hi I'm James Potter." I grinned holding out my hand introducing myself like your suppose to do when you first meet.

"HI James I'm Lily. Lily Evans." She replied smiling at me. With the happiest smile I've seen her wear.

"Shall we go spread the news to our other friends?" I asked forgetting the real reason I came here.

"Sure but don't you want to get changed first." She smirked at me noticing that I was still wearing my Quiditch robes.

I laughed and sprinted up to my room to get changed scared that the longer I took the more time Lily would have to change her mind.

"What did you think that the longer you took the more time I had to change my mind?" She joked.

I just shrugged my shoulders. That was exactly what I thought.

"Don't worry I'm not going anywhere. Unless you want me too."

Finally. We were getting somewhere and for the moment I couldn't be happier. I'm sure eventually we'll get to going out but like I've been told many times. Take it one step at a time.

* * *

**A/N**

**So how was that chapter? Yes it was a bit shorter than normal chapters but that's all I want to include at the moment. So what do you think of Lily? She's finally shown who she really is. Well tell me what you think, would love to hear your thoughts.**  
**SpringBabe**


	6. Surprises

Chapter 6: Surprises

I don't know what surprised me more. The fact that I enjoyed hanging out with the marauders and realised what I had missed the past six years of my life or the fact that I had to reject guys asking me out on Monday morning.

At first I thought it was a dare, someone wanted to see if they could steal James Potter's girl. Not that I was his girl in the first place but that's what everyone in the school thought. It didn't end at breakfast though, during the break between classes I was blinded by roses, showered in confetti, and blocked by massive cards. There was only one explanation. James didn't want me to be his girlfriend material now that we were friends. Finally he could have a relationship with some other girl. So nice pretty girl that was smart not like any of the other bimbos he had hooked up with without having feelings for me. Girls could finally date him and I could finally get a real boyfriend, someone who wants to last more than a couple of days. If that was the case then why was I disappointed?

It was because of the list. If it wasn't for the list I wouldn't know what he really felt. Obviously his feelings have changed; no one would be asking me out if they hadn't. Grr I really need to stop talking to myself. I just confuse myself more. One thing is for sure I defiantly don't have feelings for James and I need to get to class for something to concentrate on.

"Hey Lily." Sam Deran greeted with a wave.

"Oh hi Sam." I greeted back with a blush. "How have you been?"

I didn't need to look behind me to see Alice and Sammie shaking their heads at my pathetic attempt to start a conversation. Unlike them though I like to say a few more words then do you want to hook up.

"Pretty busy what with homework and Quiditch practise, James has been pushing us hard. It's just hard for all of us what with our new beater and keeper still not up to the same level as the rest of us. James has been doing it hard, I'm sure he's under a look of pressure what with his Head Boy duties and he's NEWTS this year. What about you I'm sure you have it worse than me."

"I'm not too bad, I'm sure I'm not under as much pressure as you Quiditch players. So I'm able to have some time spare. Anyway I have to get to charms so I'll see you around.

"Yeah see ya Lily." Sam sighed sounding slightly disappointed.

I wanted to talk to him more but everyone was hurrying off to class and as Head Girl I can't be late. That would just lose my respect. I may not be the most popular girl, but most people knew I wasn't to be messed with. It was only the Slytherins that didn't respect me and with them I couldn't care less.

"Why didn't you talk to him more? Do we have to coach you?" Sammie snickered. "No wonder you don't get any action."

"I know how to date guys." I replied defensively. "If we didn't have charms then maybe I would have talked to him more and maybe suggested Hogsmeade next weekend. I don't exactly have to hook up with the first guy that is attractive and attracted to me.

"OMG, Lily Evans is growing up and has realised boys." Alice smirked feigning fainting into Mary's arms. We joked all the way to charms where we made it just before Flitwick.

* * *

I knew what to do, this was the ultimate sacrifice. If this didn't work I don't know what I will do. I don't even know if I'll be able to do it.

Slipping out of bed and throwing a shirt on, I snuck out of my room and down to the common room before smashing into the small wooden table. I forgot that Lily and her friends moved it after lessons so they could have their group study session. Hopefully Lily wasn't a light sleeper. Once I was in the entrance way I threw my invisibility cloak over me so it was covering me. I snuck up to the Gryffindor tower trying my best to ignore the cold breeze blowing through the castle. It would have been a better idea if I put shoes or at least socks on. Maybe even pants over my boxers would have been a good idea. At least I had an invisibility cloak covering me so no one could see what I was wearing. Imagine the look on Filches face if he caught me wandering around the castle at this time of night in only a Puddlemere United top and striped boxers. I've never seen Filch around at 1 o'clock in the morning anyway. I have seen Mrs Norris though.

"Arendipity." I whispered hoarsely to the fat Lady.

"Huh, who's there?" She mumbled sleepily slowly opening the portrait without waking up properly.

Without responding I tiptoed in to the common room hoping no one was down to notice the portrait hole open randomly with no one entering. It wasn't until I got into the 7th year boys dorm that I took off the cloak. Not surprisingly the other boys were asleep.

I snuck over to Sirius' bed stubbing my toe on a sticking up floor board in the process. Cursing loudly, trying to be quiet I continued hobbling over to Sirius's bed. No one had woken up during my little injury.

"Padfoot, Padfoot, Padfoot." I whispered louder each time.

I had basically shouted when he bolted up and rolled out of his king sized four poster bed.

The thud woke Peter up but not Remus. Well he needed his sleep it was going to be a full moon in a few nights. A few days before and after he could sleep through anything. Both Peter and I were failing miserably at holding in our laughter at the sight of Sirius sprawled across the floor.

Well I'm glad you think it's funny." He snapped rubbing the back of his head. He was going to have a nice bruise tomorrow. "What the hell Prongs it's 1:10 in the morning why the bloody hell do you want to wake me up." I may have forgotten due to my idea that Sirius isn't someone to mess with when he's woken up.

"I had an idea." I responded knowing he hated when I didn't tell him stuff in full.

"Brilliant did you think of having another idea that was maybe, tell us in the morning." Sirius huffed.

"Right, yeah I couldn't sleep since I thought of this idea so I'll tell you in the morning." I sighed retreating to the door and picking up my cloak knowing this would annoy him and want him to know.

"Bloody hell Prongs, just tell us we are awake now." We both looked to Peter who had fallen back to sleep. "Well I'm awake now what is so important that you had to wake me up at 1 o'clock in the bloody morning."

"Well I was thinking that we let all the guys in this school know that Lily Evan's is back on the market." I told him.

"Prongs she was never off the market anyway. You just claimed her and that is why she hated you." Sirius added.

"Yeah that's why I've decided to let everyone know that I don't claim her."

"What you don't like her anymore and when we were making progress with her as well." Sirius replied slightly groggy from not enough sleep.

"No, in fact I like her more now. It's just that I never should have stopped other guys from asking her out. So yeah that was my idea. Let everyone know she's back on the market." I concluded as if I had just finished.

"Great I'll think about what to do in the morning." Sirius yawned hoping back into bed.

"Right night." I replied feeling foolish for waking him up now and tired. I climbed into my old bed and closed the curtains.

* * *

Prongs' idea wasn't too bad actually. It would have been better if we weren't putting it to action at the crack of dawn. It was bad enough that he woke me up in the middle of the night only to wake me up again before anyone else in the castle stirred. We didn't bother letting the Slytherins know that was just bad judgement. It didn't take too long all we did was visit the other common rooms and put up a notice letting all the other guys know that James Potter would not hex anyone who talked to Lily and was letting everyone know that she was not his girlfriend. Also for safe measures as we didn't know what her reaction would be we charmed it so she thought it was just an extra Hogsmeade notice.

I had to admit it was a great idea to see Lily overwhelmed by the amount of guys asking her out. Even the third years where brave enough to ask her out to Hogsmeade. If I was her I would have accepted Daniel Grew's date as he went all out with roses and the announcement in the great hall. Although it was hilarious to see him get rejected. I thought most of the guys asking her out were tossers. That was until Sam Deran got her attention. Yes he was a 6th year Gryffindor prefect and also on the Quiditch team. Everything a girl wanted in a guy. Everything apart from the fact that he was the biggest man whore. Every girl thought he was attractive until he used them. Most of the time he asked one girl out when he really wanted her friend. This had caused at least two girls to quit the Quiditch team since I had been on it and had ruined a few friendships. I knew she wouldn't listen to me though, I could also see that she liked him. Well he did act like a nice guy that's why no one believed the rumours. I had become friends with Lily and I knew I could count on her for some reason even if we weren't particularly close but I didn't want to see her get her heart broken. James wouldn't either. He would go straight after Sam and murder him from hurting Lily. No matter what he told everyone Lily was still his and she was always in his heart.

* * *

"Hey Sam," I called out seeing him walking to the Quiditch Pitch.

"Oh hi Lily, I've been trying to find you but I figured you were studying." He replied.

"So…" I droned off trying to remember everything Alice and Sammie said. Try to make him think he asked you out.

"I wanted to ask you before but you had a bit of an entourage and I've seen a million guys ask you this morning, but are you free next weekend?" He asked nervously.

"What like the Hogsmeade weekend?" I asked playing dumb. Just ask me damit.

"Yeah, would you like to go with me that is if you're not going with anyone else? Cause if you are that's alright I'm sure there will be other times but I would really like to go with you." He rambled.

Well I guess that's good enough. "Sure, I was going to spend the day with Alice and Mary but I can go with you." I replied twirling my hair. I knew all guys liked it when a girl twirled her hair. "Well I'll let you get to Quiditch practise, I'm sure James would torture you if you were late."

"Yeah you're right there. James isn't someone to mess with. If I don't see you sooner I'll meet you in the common room at 10:30 next Saturday." And with that he left.

To be honest I was over the moon. I had finally been asked out on a date. My first Hogwarts date to Hogsmeade and everything. That's slightly embarrassing. I'm 17 and I've never had a proper date before. Well at least dated anyone from Hogwarts.

I had once been on a date with some guy in meet in France. He was from England and around my age. Surprisingly mum and dad thought it would be okay if I went to dinner with him as long as it was in the hotel. Little did they know that we had dinner a few streets away. I did protest to eat in the hotel not because I was the perfect little angel that everyone thought I was but because I didn't know France and I could have gotten lost. It wasn't a good idea to be wondering the streets in a foreign country even if that foreign country was France. Let's just say there was no second date. He apparently didn't like how I was smarter than him; he didn't know how much 5 pounds and 23 pounds added up to. He didn't like how I was so against leaving the hotel. He didn't pay for anything and apparently I bumped the table knocking down the wine he had been given all over his brand new white shirt. I'm glad we didn't have a first date. He was a snob. I had to hope that Sam wasn't like that. He was such a nice guy; he even came off as a bit nervous when asking me out. I like that in a guy. I hate the over confidence that most guys have.

"So how did it go?" Alice asked when I got back.

Of course I wasn't really just wandering the castle I had purposely walked in the direction of the Quiditch pitch hoping that I would bump into him. Alice must have noticed I was happier than normal when I walked into the Gryffindor tower.

"He was so sweet and was nervous when he asked me out. I thought it was cute and we're going to Hogsmeade together." I gushed. "Sorry I'm ditching you and Mary."

"No that's fine. You were always the one we ditched for dates so I'm sure it's our turn. Besides I've scored myself a date and Mary is going with Lauren to look at flats." Alice sighed.

"Hey where are Mary and Sammie?" I asked surprised that they weren't in the common room.

"Sammie had a headache and Mary wanted to go for a walk while the weather is still warm." Alice replied turning the page on her book."

"Oh so who's the guy you're going with?" I asked knowing that's what she really wanted to talk about. We're girls we love talking about guys. It's in our DNA.

"His name is Brandon and he is really sweet. He is a Hufflepuff slightly obsessed with his grades so I don't think we're going to get much further than three dates but who knows maybe he'll surprise me." Alice told me.

Alice had some rule that if the guy didn't meet her standards on everything there would be no more than two dates. At least this Brandon guy showed some promise. She was already considering three dates. That's one extra than most guys she has dated. It was like she was comparing them to someone. In a way she was a bit judgemental always asking for our advice before she considered liking them. Although she did her homework once she found some guy attractive, then if he past her tests she would find some way at getting their attention. Both Sammie and Alice were good at that. If they saw a guy they liked they would find away to get their attention if it was simply bumping into them or showing a bit too much cleavage. Whatever it was it never failed and they always came back five minutes or so later announcing their success. Mary and I weren't the type to do that. We just hoped that someone would notice us and ask us out. Our way wasn't quite as successful.

* * *

**A/N**  
**Well this chapter is a bit shorter but i didn't want to add too much. Sorry if the girls have come off as slightly slutty. I don't want them to be I'm just trying to make them look like you're average teenage girls. What do you think of Lily and James in this chapter? What about Sirius' opinion of Sam. Do you think it's legit or is he just**  
**biased.**

**Let me know what you think and enjoy reading.**  
**SpringBabe.**


	7. Perfection

Chapter 7: Perfection

It was hard to restrain myself when Lily was constantly harassed by all the boys from 3rd year and up. I'm sure she didn't quite see it as being harassed but I could tell that she was overwhelmed at first. Believe me there were more boys asking Lily out than I thought went to the school. We hadn't actually had much time to talk though since our Head duties were separate and I had added Quiditch training. I liked spending time with her, I felt happy whenever I was around her and now I seem to smile whenever she walks into the same room as me. She is no longer repulsed by the sight of me, well from what I can tell and she can stand my friends. Something I never thought could be possible.

I thought we were doing well and I wished that Lily would reject every offer she had. Even though I knew that wasn't possible I didn't think she would agree to go out with the Hogwarts player. Sam Deran would be close to the last choice I would pick for Lily. I would pick Sirius over Deran any day and not because he is my best friend but because even if he was a womaniser he was nowhere near as bad as Sam Deran.

You can imagine my disappointment when he rocks up to Quiditch practise 10 minutes late and rubs it in my face the fact that he is going to Hogsmeade with Lily the week after our first game. Hopefully she would realise what a jerk he was and reconsider taking someone else to Hogsmeade. I had to warn her, she had a right to know. But would she hate me for it? Probably and we had just become friends too. We had two days to the game. I couldn't worry about anything else all that was supposed to be on my mind was the upcoming Quiditch game against Slytherin except I wanted to warn Lily more.

"Prongs even I think that Lily going out with Deran is a bad idea but unless you focus on the Quiditch game no Gryffindor will want to talk to you for a while." Sirius warned me.

"Right well, let's think of some Quiditch plays then." I told him.

So what if we were in ancient ruins Remus was doing most of the work for us and as long as it looked like we were working we wouldn't be noticed. Once again Lily was paired off with Loce and they were discussing their assignment hard. I don't know how they ended up as friends or at least buddies when they had nothing in common. Loce was the Ravenclaw version of Sammie. She had her fair share of boyfriends and she never boasted about them. I had also noticed that she rarely hung around with the girls in her house and was always around the guys in her house. Including her boyfriend. Just how Sammie had her boyfriends and never boasted about any guy she had been with. Sammie would sometimes ditch Lily, Alice and Mary for a few prank filled nights with the marauders. Both Sammie and Loce are completely different to Lily and yet they are friends with her.

* * *

I don't know why but I was disappointed that I was only going on a date with Sam. I wanted more than that I actually wanted a boyfriend but I guess he didn't see me as girlfriend material. Alice actually had the perfect idea. She could sneakily hint to one of Sam's friends that I really liked him because well I did. He was smart and good looking. From what I know he didn't have too many detentions and didn't get enjoyment out of pranks. I had also noticed that there hadn't been any pranks this year maybe the Marauders had gotten bored of pranks, maybe this year the sole focus for them was to win the Quiditch cup after the embarrassment of last year. That wasn't Gryffindor's fault; James and Sirius were the only returning players and had to train a whole new team. Hufflepuff just ended up as the better team as they had a team of returning players that had played together for two years.

I saw Sam shot a quick smile at me and watched as he passed his hand through his spiky blonde hair. Today he looked hot in his Quiditch uniform and he looked determined to win today. James also looked determined as he ignored the jeers from all houses as no one believed that they would win today. I glanced once more at the Quiditch team and noticed James pass his hand through his messy black hair nervously as he finished his prep talk to the rest of the team. Most of them looked pumped up and ready to win while James and two other small players looked nervous. I watched as they walked out of the great hall in a group. James and Sirius leading while Sam and Patrick Nicke brought up the rear. I waved at Sam when he passed me. What caught me off guard was the little kiss that he blew me. Alice worked fast.

The girls giggled and we whispered all the way down to the pitch where we took our usual seats next to Remus and Peter in the Gryffindor stand. No one was down on the pitch yet but the stands were starting to fill up as the time drew closer to the start of the match. It was disappointing to see that only half the stands were full when the players were announced onto the pitch. The teacher's box was full, the Slytherin stand was full. Only the Hufflepuff Quiditch team, the Ravenclaw Quiditch team and a majority of the Gryffindor house filled up their respective stands. It was because of this that I hoped Gryffindor won. Especially for James' sake he would never let it down. They went all of last year without winning a game even if James caught the snitch each game they still lost.

I glanced down to see what each player was doing. Sirius looked determined to beat the Slytherin team into obliteration and was sending daggers to his brother and the other opposing players. Sam actually looked cocky and like he believed that they would win, something I expected to see on James' face. Thinking about that I turned to look at James. He had a blank face showing no emotion. His already messy hair was blowing wildly in the wind and his glasses almost looked glued on. His hazel eyes that usually held warmth looked unfocused yet completely focused on what was in front of him. I didn't know if it would help but I wanted to try anyway.

So I shouted out to the pitch over the top as the previous scores were announced. Telling the team that I believed they could do it, it was really only meant for James. I didn't want to scream out his name though when I had a budding romance with Sam. It would probably make James think I liked him and cause problems between, Sam, James and myself.

* * *

"Go Gryffindor, I know you will win." I heard someone shout from my left.

I already knew who it was. I knew that voice anywhere but I still had to look and check to make sure. Lily Evans was standing up in her seat and had cupped her hands over her mouth so she would be heard better. It was unlike Lily to do something like that even if it actually made me believe that we could win. It also seemed to make the rest of the team more aggressive and trust that we would win this game. Deran grinned at what Lily said and also looked towards her. I saw Lily smile at him and blow him a kiss. I guess she had no idea of his reputation then. I can't think about that now I have to think about winning. Lily believes we can and so do I. Well that's what I had to tell myself to get the image of Deran and Lily snogging out of my head.

I turned towards Sirius who looked even more pumped up after hearing Lily's statement then he did before if that was possible. "Let's do this." I mouthed to him.

* * *

I smiled at James as he turned towards me then noticed that Sam had also turned towards me so I blew him a kiss.

"Lily if it's possible you just gave the Gryffindor team a spark." Mary gushed.

I immediately sat back down feeling incredibly foolish and only just realised how what kind of embarrassing situation I had just put myself in. Everyone was now staring at me. Sammie and Remus came to my aid and started cheering loudly for our team. Soon all the Gryffindor's had joined in and I didn't feel as embarrassed. Although there was something I couldn't shake. I wanted James to know how much I believed that he could win this game.

_It's because we are friends nothing more. _I told myself coming up with my own solution.

The game wasn't brutal like it was expected and it soon became clear who the better team was. Gryffindor just didn't give Slytherin a chance and absolutely cairned them in the first 10 minutes when the quaffle just kept soaring past the keeper into the hoop. Sirius and Sam directed the bludgers with such force that the Slytherin chasers just keep the quaffle in their hands. Let's just say both the Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff team were surprised when they realised how much the Gryffindor team had improved since last time. It was easy to say that both captains watching the match looked worried at what they would have to face later on.

I watched as James circled around the pitch looking for the snitch. I thought he might have seen it when he shot up into the clouds followed by Regulus Black only to see he dive back down again. Soon the game began to get boring and both teams were starting to tire. Gryffindor were shooting the quaffle through hoops after hoops while Slytherin had only scored twice. Finally James caught the snitch making the score 540 – 20 with Gryffindor as the winner.

I couldn't believe how down all the players were before the game thinking they couldn't win and then they proved that they could be pulverising the Slytherins into nothing.

"Come on lets go congratulate them." Sammie excitedly said jumping up and down on the spot.

I agreed and the six of us went to go congratulate the Gryffindor team.

"Lily thanks for the encouragement it really made a difference." Sam thanked me.

We were standing in front of each other awkwardly not knowing what to say next. How were we supposed to act when we hadn't had a date yet?

"Party in the common room." Peter shouted from next to Sirius breaking the awkwardness between Sam and me.

"Well I'll let you get changed then see you in the common room." I told him not knowing what else to say.

"Sure." He replied turning around to follow the rest of the team into the change rooms. "Wait Lily."

I had also started walking in the opposite direction back into the castle when he called out to me. "Yeah Sam."

"Lily well I want to see you before our date in Hogsmeade so will you be my girlfriend?" Sam asked shuffling from foot to foot.

It was so cute how he was nervous when I wanted him to ask me out for the past year or so.

"Sure I would like that." I grinned giving him a kiss on the cheek.

* * *

She agreed to be his girlfriend right in front of me. There are two things that cause me great pain. Well there are three but two are not having Lily Evans in my arms and Lily Evans in someone else's arms. The third is when my friends are hurt or in pain.

Why did I have to let everyone know that Lily wasn't mine? I knew I would regret it. I'm sure if she was going out with someone like Eliot Lander I wouldn't be regretting my decision at least there was a guarantee that Lily would be treated right. I had to do something about this. I couldn't let her get hurt by this sleaze. I could tolerate him being on the Quiditch team but knowing that he would have his slimy, sleazy hands over Lily Evans was overboard.

"Prongs, you can't. Not now let them enjoy the party. Let everyone enjoy the party. You know she'll hate you for this. Please let her figure it out herself." Sirius reasoned.

"Padfoot I can't just stand by and watch her get hurt. I can't see that. Anyone would be better them Deran. Even you would be." I told him furious from what I had witnessed moments ago.

"Oh thanks at least I can sleep better at night knowing you think I'm better than Deran." Sirius replied sarcastically. "Seriously though Lily's a big girl she can work this out for herself and besides she isn't yours. Wasn't the whole point of this, for Lily to get a boyfriend?"

"Yes but not in two days and she was suppose to realise how much I've matured, and see that I have realised that she isn't a possession of mine." I sighed Sirius couldn't talk me out of this. "Anyway you've heard the things about him. Lily can't be dragged into that."

"Yeah but Prongs, they're just rumours you know how the rumours spread around here." Sirius tried to rationalise although both of us knew there had to be some truth behind the rumours.

"Padfoot you can't talk me out of this. I'm going to tell her." I told him and stormed up to the tower.

When I got there the party had just started and Lily was sitting very close to Sam on one of the arm chairs while her friends chattered to his friends. Right now wasn't the right time I couldn't just drag her away from her new boyfriend as much as I would like to.

"Please Prongs don't do this. Find a better time or better yet don't." Sirius whispered in my ear handing me a bottle of fire whiskey.

"Fine I'll let them enjoy the party but I'm telling her before her Hogsmeade date." I warned him.

"Whatever, I'm here to party." Sirius shouted and everyone cheered along with him.

Sirius soon had the party into full swing within half an hour that even McGonagall was surprised by the amount of noise so early on in the afternoon. There wouldn't be any Gryffindor in the Great Hall tonight. It may have been a party dedicated to the Gryffindor Quiditch team but I just wasn't in the party mood. I couldn't stop watching Lily laughing at whatever Deran was saying like it was funnier than when I made her laugh. I even caught his hand sliding down to her arse. She didn't even mind.

It took everything plus Remus pulling me back not to go over and give him one. Knock him out completely. I had to remind myself that he was on the Quiditch team; I couldn't physically hurt him too much. Maybe just a black eye. Then again I was Head Boy it would have to be when no one was around.

Then everyone started dancing. Sammie was dancing with Sirius and Remus, Alice was politely talking to Andrea Sass near me. Peter was trying to find some girl to talk to and Lily was dancing with Sam and his friends. I just couldn't take my eyes of that red haired beauty.

"Great game today James." Mary said quietly appearing next to me from nowhere.

"Oh thanks." I replied trying to keep my heart rate down and trying to hide the fact that I may have jumped about three feet in the air.

"You really like her don't you." She spoke again looking at Lily and then back to me.

"Yeah I do, you have no idea. She's just so captivating I could stare at her forever." I replied dreamily.

"Well don't, that's creepy. Just hang in there whatever you are doing now is working. She likes being friends with you. I actually think that you two would be a really cute couple." Mary finished and then walked off.

She was a nice girl but extremely shy. I rarely hear her talk in front of us guys when she isn't in the company of her friends and have never seen her talk to anyone but her friends and her sister. I had heard bits and pieces of her home life from the girl's gossip and from what she has gone through must be hard on both her and her sister. It also explains why they are so close. It's similar to why I'm so close to Sirius. I was there for him when he had family issues. Well he still does but he acts like it doesn't matter.

* * *

I think this was the first after party that I had participated in. I wasn't drunk I stuck to the butter beer but I decided that for once I wouldn't be the one breaking up the party or sitting on the stairs giving up. Maybe it was because I had a boyfriend to enjoy it with. This time I was actually part of it and I enjoyed it. I had missed so much keeping up my good girl appearance. Ironic isn't it that I start to loosen up once I become Head Girl. Normally it's the other way around especially in James' case. Becoming Head Boy was the best thing that ever happened to him although I'm sure he doesn't see it like that.

"Hey Lily do you want to dance?" Sam asked standing up.

"Sure, let's go." I replied.

I was looking forward to this moment. It was like a dream come true. Finally dancing with my crush. The boy I liked was now my boyfriend. I was Head Girl, my grades were great. It was like my life was perfect. It was almost like there wasn't a war raging on outside the castle walls.

"You know I've had a crush on you ever since my 5th year." I blurted out calmly while he was spinning me around.

"Really?" He asked in that non-believing tone. "Because I've wanted to ask you out for over a year now. It was only because I was frightened of what James would do to me if I did that I didn't."

"Well I'm glad James finally got off his high horse and realised that I wasn't his to start with. Otherwise I would never get a chance to date the best looking guy in this school." I replied.

"Do you think I'm that good looking, because I know I am but I didn't think I was that good looking?" He replied quizzically.

"Of course. You're not just good looking but you're my type. Athletic, smart and hot, plus you're funny and charming. You don't boast about yourself like most guys do, that's a good trait to have." I told him.

"Well I'm glad I meet you're standards, although I think next week is too far away for our first date. How about we have dinner in the kitchens tomorrow night instead of in the Great Hall like everyone else." He suggested.

"Sure, something to look forward to all day." I grinned and continued to dance. "I also forgot to mention that you're an amazing dancer. Not many guys can dance like you."

"Except me Lily Bean, I think I measure up quite nicely." Sirius piped in from nowhere.

"Sirius do you mind I'm trying to enjoy this day without you annoying me." I teased him slightly although it was true. I didn't need him ruining this moment.

"Suit yourself. Enjoy your dancing." He said bowing like a gentleman.

"I don't know how you stand being in the same classes as Black and Potter sometimes?" Sam asked. "They just come off as too pushy and flirty. Don't you get sick of it?"

A few weeks ago I would have said the same thing but now I was used to it. With Sirius it was just second nature to flirt back although I still hadn't mastered that yet. James was more once you saw past his old arrogant exterior.

"I guess you kind of get used to it after a while and I mean after 7 years." I chuckled even if it wasn't funny.

Sam did so that wasn't too bad and laughed along. He had a gorgeous laugh as well. Was there anything wrong with this boy?

* * *

**A/N **

**So who has the right idea about Sam, Lily or James? He seems so sweet and like the perfect boyfriend I can't see him as the guy James and Sirius portray him as. Well I guess we'll see how his character progresses. Who do you want to be right? Next Chapter will be the dates hopefully I can fit both the dinner and the Hogsmeade date in the next chapter. Please continue reading and don't forget to review. I would love to know you're opinion even if it is to simply say 'it's okay' or 'you hate it'. Tell me whatever you like I don't mind.  
SpringBabe. **


	8. It Was Fun While it Lasted

Chapter 8: It Was Fun While it Lasted

"James you don't get to tell me what I can and can't do. You don't own me. I'm not a possession of yours." I shouted back at him.

How dare he decide what I can and can't do?

"Lily I'm just looking out for you. The rumours I've heard he isn't good for you. I don't want him to hurt you." James pleaded.

"Why can't you just let me go out with the guy I like? Sam is a completely nice guy and you've tried to turn him into an arsehole."

"Lily to be completely honest he is an arsehole." Sirius interjected.

"Stay out of this Sirius, this doesn't concern you." I hissed at him.

Sirius backed away to where Remus and Peter were standing trying hard to hold a conversation with Amanda Whyllis and Stefani Slaint from 5th year. It must have been hard for them to concentrate on what the other was saying over our argument.

"Come on Lily, you're being unreasonable here ju-"

"I'm being unreasonable. The last I checked you were telling me I couldn't be Sam's girlfriend. That's not being unreasonable that's you being an arrogant prick." I screamed back at him.

"Lily I'm just trying to look out for you, you could do so much better, I care about you Lily." James begged trying to prove he was right.

"This isn't caring about me. This is you trying your best to force me out of a relationship. My first real relationship with a boy because you finally decided it was time to get off your high horse and realised that I wasn't yours and never will be." I reminded him harshly.

"Yes you're right I was arrogant but I realised that I needed to grow up, I matured and I changed but one thing never did. I never stopped liking you. In fact I like you more than I did before. Lily I think I'm in love with you." James suddenly said.

The whole common room went quiet. Everyone wanted to see how I would react next and that was when Sam walked in laughing at something Patrick Nicke said. They too stopped mid track a sentence once they realised how quiet everything was.

I felt everyone looking at me. Sam was looking at me with a puzzled expression. I knew everyone wanted to take James' side. Everyone likes him. He's the star Quiditch player, the Head Boy, Marauder, and gets good grades. Why wouldn't they like them? No one would take my side in this argument, Why would they? I may be Head Girl, but I'm the goody goody two shoes, the teacher's pet, the boring nerd. No one likes a girl like that. The only way out of this was to run away, go back to my room and hide. So turning away from James and pushing past Sam I made my way out of the Gryffindor tower and back to my room.

There was no way James Potter was in love with me. He was back to the old tricks he used to play. I can't believe I thought we could last as

* * *

"What did you say to her?" Deran questioned angrily stepping right up to my face.

"I told her the truth and dude, back off." I snapped at him.

"What truth would you have to tell her? You honestly don't think that she is stupid enough to believe the rumours about me. Those were started from the stupid bitch I dumped a few years ago because she cheated on me. Obviously she turned the story around. You of everyone should know that the rumours in this place aren't true." Deran said like he was threatening me.

"What the hell is that suppose to mean?" I asked. "Doesn't matter. Truth is the girls in this school need to see who you really are."

"Oh yeah and what's that?" Deran questioned cockily.

"That you're a two faced back stabbing womaniser that doesn't deserve to live." Stacy Arlow piped up.

"You stay out of this." Deran shouted at her in the same tone that Lily told Sirius to stay out of it a few minutes ago.

"She's right though isn't she?" Sirius added. "You treat girls like shit and then expect them to act like you never did anything. You expect them to act like what they did was wrong. Well buddy it's going to catch up to you."

"Oh yeah, and how is this any different to you Black. You practically stick you're dick up anything that has breasts. You're just as bad." Deran insulted. "Both you and Potter need to piss off and don't interfere with what Lily and I have just because you are jealous. I swear if you ruin this I will come after you."

"Oh yeah I dare you to try and see where it gets you." I sneered.

I don't know what happened much after that it was all just a blur. I don't even know who threw the first punch but soon we were rolling around the floor trying to get a hit on the other.

I was trying hard to dodge whatever Deran threw my way and trying my best to ignore the shouts of encouragement from Sirius and others. Or the jeers. It was just me and Deran fighting for what we lived for. Well what I lived for. Lily Evans didn't deserve this prick.

"Stop, stop it both of you. You're going to kill each other." Someone screamed.

I don't know how much longer it was before we were broken apart but it was enough time for some damage to be done. My head was throbbing and my knuckles were bloody and bruised. I could feel a lump under my eye. Great I was going to have a black eye. Deran looked worse. Looks like I won. He had a busted nose with blood gushing out, two black eyes, a busted lip and a massive bruise on the top of his head. I hoped I didn't look as bad I was supposed to be invincible to fights like this. Well actually this is the only fight I've been in without a wand.

"What in Merlin's name is going on here? You boys should be ashamed of yourself. Muggle fighting like hooligans. In my house too. You're both on the Quiditch team so you should know how to get along. You have no idea how disappointed in both of you I am. Potter you're Head Boy and Quiditch captain, don't make me question the headmasters choice to make you either. You obviously don't understand the responsibility needed to represent both. And Deran, you're a prefect and a sixth year you should know better than to engage in a fight." McGonagall ranted.

Most of the Gryffindor's that were in the common room egging on or watching what had just occurred had scampered off to their dorms or out the tower once McGonagall entered. The little cowards.

"You will both be serving detentions once I see the headmaster to discuss what has just happened."McGonagall warned.

"But-"

"I don't care who started it Mr Deran you were both fighting so you will both receive detentions. For now I think you should both take a trip to the Hospital wing and have Madam Pompfrey check you both out. I really don't won't to allow you to be checked out because this foolish behaviour is unacceptable but we can't have you collapsing from concussion. Mr Black and Mr Nicke will you please escort these two to the hospital wing and I want no funny business either." McGonagall advised.

* * *

"They what." I shrieked.

We were in the Great Hall for dinner and Remus had just explained why James wasn't with us. Not that I minded anyway. I don't want to see his smug face anytime soon. Sam was sitting nearby, not to close since Sirius was next to Remus and was still sore at him. I gave Sam a sympathetic smile and decided that I would give him the last of my healing potions from Slughorn. It was the least I could do since he was my boyfriend and had gotten into a fight because of me.

I didn't know who to believe right now since Remus recounted everything that was said but I did know that James Potter was not worth crying over. We had proven that we can't be in the same room together without causing an argument. We had lasted a month.

Little did anyone know that once I got back to my room I slammed the door and collapsed into tears? I thought that James and I were becoming good friends, but no he had to go and ruin it by deciding who I could and couldn't see. Maybe he was jealous but he didn't love me that was for sure. It was only because his attempts to ask me out failed when Sam only had to ask once it wasn't because he loved me when Sam didn't. Besides who was James to say that Sam didn't deserve me when James didn't deserve me either.

"Lily I think James is telling the truth." Sammie reasoned.

We were all squashed up on my bed trying to make sense of the situation. I was so confused and for some reason Sammie, Mary and Alice had missed the brawl between James and Sam. I don't even think they were there for the argument either.

"No Sam is a nice guy; James has just returned backed to who he once was and still believes that if he can't have me no one can. He's just trying to make me turn him over Sam. Well it's never going to happen." I remarked.

"What about the list. You're feelings for James changed after that." Mary asked.

"Yeah they changed from hatred back to friendship and maybe I did start to find him attractive, and yes I did start to see a new side to him. That all changed once he started acting like I belonged to him. I don't belong to James Potter and never will. He needs to get that in his head. Our friendship is now ruined. There is no way we are still friends after what happened after what he said about Sam."

"Come on Lily I think you're being too harsh on him. He was just looking out for you that's what friends do." Sammie protested.

"Who's side are you on here. I'm your friend why are you siding with Potter?" I asked slightly hurt.

"Because he's my friend too and did nothing wrong to deserve the amount of shit you're about to give him." Sammie told me and left.

"Look I think you need to give this time to sort it's self out. Don't choose a side just wait and see what happens." Mary suggested calmly.

"If I was you, I'd pick Sam. Think of all the shit James has done to you and what has Sam done. Nothing. Sam is you're best choice. You still have us; you don't need James and Sirius to know that you are loved." Alice said giving her input.

"Thanks' guys you mean the world to me." I said with a smile glancing and glancing at the clock. "Oh crap I was supposed to have dinner with Sam in the kitchens. I'll tell you about it later."

* * *

"I'm sick and tired of Lily always shunning James, or not believing him." I moaned as I slumped into the seat next to Sirius.

"Tell me about it. James gets so worked up about it and guess who has to suffer. The rest of us." Sirius complained.

"We have to do something about it. I actually think Lily likes James she is just denying it for some strange reason." I suggested.

"And how are we going to prove that she likes him?" Sirius asked.

"I'm not sure but first we need to prove that Sam Deran is who you think he is." I replied trying to think of a plan.

"Yeah like that is going to happen. Lily has the image of him being the perfect guy." Sirius pointed out.

"What are you two plotting?" James asked wondering over having just gotten out of the hospital wing by the looks of it as his black eyes were faint.

"Nothing." Both Sirius and I replied unconvincingly.

"Right well I think I'm going to sleep in my old bed tonight. I'm not sure Lily wants to see me." James said and walked up to the boy's dorm.

"Well I'm going to see if he is okay." Sirius jumped up and followed his best friend up the stairs right at the moment that Mary and Alice walked in.

"Well she's gone to her date." Mary said like she had given up on this situation.

"What… of course she has." I sighed. When James Potter told her that she couldn't do something she went and did it.

"Maybe Sam isn't as bad as James and Sirius say. Maybe he has changed." Mary suggested.

"Maybe, but I doubt it James and Sirius wouldn't make stuff like that up and they wouldn't say if they didn't believe it was true." I said defending my two friends why did I have to be stuck in the middle of James and Lily's problems. It was like I had to choose a side.

"Oh come on Sammie you know that James and Sirius are the exact same as what they claim Sam is. They are probably worse seeing as they flaunt the girls that they have laid." Alice snapped.

Whoa where did that come from as much as it was false she had no right to say that? She never talked to them. "You can't say that, you have never taken the time to know them. At least Mary has but you; you disappear whenever they enter the room. You don't have a problem with Remus or Peter so why do you scarper whenever James and Sirius appear?" I asked.

"I don't have that much of a problem with James at least not this year. It was his past years when he constantly hurt Lily and harassed her that I saw him how she did. It's Sirius that I have a problem with." Alice revealed.

"Why. Why can't you stand Sirius?" I asked. Mary even looked curious and she was never openly curious about the boys we had problems with. She was the one that avoided any type of conflict. We all tried but only Mary succeeded.

"It's complicated and let's just say something happened between us and he can't even remember what it was." Alice said quietly.

I knew better than to push for answers. We all had secrets we didn't like to tell. We would tell them when the pain of keeping them kept away got unbearable.

* * *

"It was so gorgeous; he had candles set up and was such a gentleman. He took my jacket, held out my chair and even offered to help the house elves." Lily gushed.

It was sickening; I couldn't believe she went on a date with that tosser.

"James she'll come around. Just give her time." Sammie advised me. "Just let her chose her own path, maybe Sam has changed maybe he hasn't. The best thing for you to do right now is be there when she falls."

I grimaced as the blonde haired perfection walked in and gave Lily a quick kiss. Soon enough he was sitting next to her and his friends separating Lily and her friends from us. I also noticed Snape staring at the new couple with anger. Looks like I'm not the only one.

Sammie had also noticed but her reaction was slightly different. "That's it."

"Um what's it?" I asked taken aback by her sudden outburst.

"Oh I'll tell you later but right now I need to talk to Sirius in private." Sammie said beckoning for Sirius to join her outside the Great Hall.

"Okay what did I miss? Since when did those two share secrets?" I asked Remus who looked just as left out as me.

* * *

"Snape I need to talk to you." One of Lily's friends called out to me when I left the Great Hall to get my books for potions.

"What do you want? I'm in a hurry." I turned to face none other than the heartbreaker Sammie Delsento.

"Well I noticed that you don't like the new couple Lily and Sam."

"So I'm not the only one. Lily's so sweet and Sam is a heartbreaker. He would be the perfect guy for you actually." I replied.

"Right well I'm going to overlook that, she won't listen to any of us when we tell her he isn't right for her but she might listen to you." Delsento said.

"So you want me to talk to her when she hates me more than she hates Potter because you think she will listen to me." I repeated.

"Yes so can you."

"I will but you have to do something for me first." I grinned.

Delsento's smile faltered as she responded. "What."

"Well today we're starting the pair's assignment in potions and I'm in need of a partner so I'll talk to Lily for you if you become my partner." I watched as she thought it through.

"Fine. But I'm doing this for Lily not for you and it's only for the one assignment nothing else."

"Yes. See you in potions partner." I said and walked down to the dungeons.

* * *

I was actually starting to ask myself if Sam was the perfect guy I had dreamed about. He almost seemed too perfect. At first I only thought James was telling me not to go out with him because he was jealous and still liked me. It really took me off guard to know that he liked me that much. He was willing to prove that by standing by and letting the other boys in the school ask me out. Although it really didn't work. He was back to his old threatening self as soon as I accepted Sam's request to be his girlfriend. I just thought that it was some sort of ruse to make me go out with James and that Sammie had joined in. It wasn't until Snape warned me about Sam and how he just left Emily Aran for bait in Hogsmeade and that he cheated on Marcie Ludwig two days into their relationship when she wouldn't put out.

I didn't know what to believe but it became pretty obvious that it was all some sort of ruse when Sammie chose to pair up with Snape for the potions assignment. I was with Alice which was fine but we both thought it was odd. Now I understood why. They all thought I was making a mistake. Sammie was willing to test our friendship if it meant I would stop seeing Sam. That would normally be enough for me. So why was I so against their judgement? Why did I want to risk everything for a boy I wasn't sure about anymore?

* * *

A/N

So there was Severus Snape's POV added to the story as well. Sammie also added her POV which I think is important it just gives extra intel that you can't get from Lily but still in the girls POV. It also shows that she is friends with both James and Lily. There isn't really much to say. Review if you want to but just continue reading and enjoying my fanfic.  
SpringBabe. xoxoxxx


	9. Trying to Get By

Chapter 9: Trying to Get By

"So James who are you going with to Hogsmeade?" Sammie asked bounding into my common room disrupting the peace in needed to complete my homework. Not that I wanted to.

"Uh just Remus and Peter. Normally Sirius would join us but he has a detention and besides he can sneak in whenever he wants." I told her.

"Good you don't have a date. Do you mind if I tag along. My plans have fallen through." She asked looking at Remus as well who was reading over his essay in one of the armchairs by the fire.

"Sure why not. And why is it good that I don't have a date. I don't normally take dates to Hogsmeade anyway its better when it's just us friends." I told her.

"I'll explain it later. Have fun with the homework." She replied and ran but out just as quickly as she came in.

"Always good talking to you Sammie." Remus chuckled.

I laughed shortly with him. Sammie was so easy to get along with she's bubbly and very talkative. Although she doesn't get along with everyone. She does have her downfalls and she is known amongst the guys in this school as the Heartbreaker.

I was just getting back to my homework when Lily walked in arm in arm with Sam. I tried not to notice. I pretended I was so engrossed with my essay that I didn't hear them come in. Of course Remus didn't pick up on that and mentioned her name. Of course then I had to acknowledge her and the image of perfection.

"Lily Deran." I acknowledged.

"Potter." Deran responded.

"James." Lily said gritting her teeth, I'm surprised she even said my name I thought we'd be back to last names again. "By the way his name is Sam and he's on your Quiditch team so you might want to learn it."

"Actually it's not his team anymore. I went to McGonagall and explained what happened on Sunday and she has mentioned suspending him as captain until he can prove he can be responsible enough to regain the title. She's also suspending you from your head duties as well. I have to agree; with her someone who starts fights can't lead the school." Deran said recounting the meeting with a jeer in his voice. I could hear the Na Na nana in his voice.

Lily, Remus and I were speechless. He was as much to blame as I was. We already had four detentions to serve surely putting me on probation from both Quiditch Captain and Head Boy was taking it too far.

"Isn't that a bit extreme. If James is suspended from Head Boy that should mean that you are no longer a prefect?" Remus asked.

"Well, I think McGonagall was impressed with me admitting what I did was wrong and decided that I could still be a prefect. Besides my role isn't as big as James' is." Deran said smugly.

"You know what. That's a load of bullshit. What did you do run crying to daddy and ask him to speak to McGonagall explaining that his perfect little son isn't capable of starting a fight?" I asked. There was no way McGonagall would see this as one sided.

"Come on Potter. We all know that you are capable of doing this and much more. You aren't worthy of a Head Boy you pick on people all the time. When have you ever done something nice for someone? You only care about yourself and how the school thinks about you. You don't care about anyone else. You say you care about Lily but do you? You yelled at her once you found out she was dating me how is that thinking about her?" Deran asked me.

"I just wanted her to know that she shouldn't date scum like you. I've heard things about you and I've heard what you've said to your friends about the girls in this school. How you rate them and what you think about them. I can't force her to stop seeing you but i can warn her. I just hope for her sake that you have changed. That you respect her." I told him holding him up by the collar against the wall.

"James." Remus warned.

"Of course I respect Lily, why would I hurt her. You on the other hand, you can't lecture me about the girls I go out with when you've been caught numerous amount of times with them in broom closets. Do you respect them?" Deran asked spitting in my face.

"Of course I do, I would never force a girl to do something. They all wanted that and besides I stopped them before things got too far." I told him.

There was silence before Lily broke it. I had almost forgotten she was there. This whole time she hadn't said anything and had just watched the commotion between us.

"I think you should leave. I'll catch you at breakfast tomorrow." She told Deran giving him a quick kiss on the cheek, leading to a passionate kiss.

"Right, don't worry Lil's; I'll be the perfect guy." He winked at her causing her to blush.

"I think I'll leave you to it. I've finished with my essay anyway thanks for the notes James." Remus said hurrying out after Deran.

* * *

Silence. Once Remus left that was all that filled up the common room. Both James and I were just standing in the middle of the common room not saying anything. What was there to say? I have to admit Sam had no right going to McGonagall and suspending James from both Head Boy and Quiditch captain duties. James deserved the detentions but to take away the things he was good at and took pride in. to be completely fair Sam should have been suspended from prefect duties too. Both boys had reasonable things to say. I'm sure they can change and I have never seen Sam cheat on anyone and his relationships last a while. While James on the other hand has always been caught with someone and he has never had a relationship lasting longer than a day. But then again people change. I know that James has surely Sam has.

"Lily." James started to speak.

"James don't just let me think for a bit." I told him.

We ended up sitting down in the silence not saying anything just enjoying the peace. James had defiantly changed from last year. Last year he would never have let me think about anything and this year he was.

"James if you respect me enough to give me silence to think than surely you respect me enough to let me make my own decisions." I told him.

"I do Lily, I just want you to know what I believe is the truth. I'm sorry that it has caused us to no longer be friends. But please don't lose you're friendship with Sammie, you are great friends don't give that up." James told me picking up his stuff and leaving.

He could tell that I had picked Sam. I could see the defeat in his eyes. He would get over it. Just the same way as he got over last year's quiditch defeats. I wasn't the only girl in the school. Surely there was someone else. He just needed to look harder. I had to accept that he was trying to protect me not as a possession but as a friend. He had told me what he knew so it wasn't his fault that I didn't want to hear it. I just hoped that Sam wasn't the same as what the others told me. Although Sam did cut James off from the things that he cared about. That wasn't right hopefully that was the worst he would do and I may be able to fix it.

"Yes Miss Evans how can I help you?" McGonagall asked.

"Professor is it true that James has been suspended from Quiditch captain and as Head Boy?" I asked panting trying to pretend that I didn't just sprint up to McGonagall's office.

"Yes it is true. His behaviour is unacceptable. Why are you asking? I didn't think that you and Mr Potter were particularly close." McGonagall asked.

"We're not but I think you're being a bit harsh. I know that what he did was wrong but it was one fight. He has proven that he is a responsible Head Boy as he has shared the roles equally with me and is willing to help out with whatever he needs. He even offered to patrol extra times. And I think he has proven that he is an excellent Quiditch captain, I mean look at the win Gryffindor scored on Saturday. Only great leadership can achieve that." I explained.

"I can understand that but I cannot accept a Head Boy if he causes fights." She explained back.

"I understand that completely but he has never showed signs of any arguments, fights, duels, pranks or misbehaviour in the meetings or patrols that I have been working with him on. Besides only the Gryffindor's know of the fight between him and Sam. The rest of the school doesn't know." I pointed out.

"That may be true Miss Evans but the school will know soon enough and then we'll have an uprising." McGonagall concluded. "I am happy to reinstate him as Quiditch Captain because I have to agree that he shows exemplary skills but I can't have him reinstated as Head Boy not until he can prove he is responsible enough to help lead a whole school."

"If that's what you are going to do but to be fair if James isn't going to be Head Boy, wouldn't it be fair to suspend Sam as a prefect as well and it would be a shame to lose two great leaders." I pointed out. I was going to point out that Sam's father was one of the governors and he wouldn't like to hear that his son has been suspended from prefect duties but I didn't play dirty like that. Besides I'm sure she was thinking it.

"If I am not mistaken aren't you currently dating Mr Deran why would you ask that he is suspended from prefect duties as well?" McGonagall asked curiously.

"Well to be honest we are dating but we have only just started and I have to admit that he is just as responsible as James in the fight and it isn't fair if only one of them loses what they take pride in and I have to admit both of them have worked hard to get where they are. That's all I have to say Professor." I said about to leave.

"Miss Evans your fairness is one of the reasons you were picked for Head Girl not to mention you should treasure that and between you and me I have yet to visit Professor Dumbledore and let him know of the change of leadership. You're visit has come at excellent timing. Just in case things don't work out whom would you pick as a Head Boy?"

"It would be Remus Lupin Professor they way he battles through school given certain circumstances."

"Very well I will go and see the headmaster now and I'll let you know who the Head Boy is before the next prefect meeting." McGonagall said dismissing me.

"Thank you for hearing me out Professor." I said leaving shutting the door behind me.

* * *

"Mr Potter, would you please come with me." McGonagall said sternly.

Great just what I needed to be told that I was no longer Head Boy right before the meeting and right before the Hogsmeade weekend. Well that was all tonight's meeting was going to be discussing the security for tomorrow. Leaving my half eating plate of food behind for Sirius to devourer I followed McGonagall out the Great Hall up to her office.

"Sit please we have some things to discuss." McGonagall told me gesturing to the chair in front of her desk.

"Professor I know what this is about. I understand that you are suspending me from both Quiditch and Head Boy duties. I can understand that. It isn't responsible to have someone that gets involved in fights to be in a position of leadership." I blurted out. It was better this way then to have the disappointment flooding though me when McGonagall would slowly tell me.

"Actually your case was pleaded just before I went to see the Headmaster and he agrees that it would be a shame to waste such a great leader over one mistake. Therefore you are still Gryffindor's Quiditch captain and Head Boy of the school. But you must be on excellent behaviour until Christmas. Every bit of school work must be handed up on time completed and you can't misbehave in class either. Is that understood?"

"Yes Professor." I replied over the moon. I can't believe I hadn't lost my duties.

"Do you realise that you're speech before shows you how much you have matured. I have to admit I thought that Professor Dumbledore was insane making you Head Boy at the beginning of this year but you have shown that you are perfect for the job."

"Thank you Professor. And is there any chance you'll be able to tell me who protested for me." I asked. It must have been Remus.

"Lily Evans." McGonagall said simply.

She didn't realise that those two words weren't simple to me. I couldn't believe that Lily had come to McGonagall asking to keep me as Head Boy and Quiditch Captain. She was dating Sam Deran, the person who wanted me gone. She couldn't have chosen me could she?

"Thank you again Professor for giving me another chance. I won't let you, Professor Dumbledore or the school down." I said leaving her office and going straight to my dorm to find Lily.

"Lily why did you go to McGonagall asking for her to keep me as Head Boy and Quiditch captain?" I asked trying to keep the glee hidden.

"You did what!" Sirius exclaimed. "Does that mean you are no longer seeing Deran?"

Where was Sirius hiding? Oh well that doesn't matter the next word from Lily's lips does.

"No. I did it because James didn't deserve to be suspended. It wasn't fair that Sam placed all the blame on you but I am willing to overlook it. That's his one mistake and he has respected me so far." Lily said.

Well whatever happiness I felt was gone. She had chosen Deran. I had to respect her for that at least she had given me something back. That proves that she doesn't like him completely.

"Thank you Lily. For allowing me to keep something that means something to me. I just want you to know that I won't interfere with your relationship with Deran I hope he is who you say he is. If not I'll be there to catch you when you fall. I will always be there to catch you." I said and walked up to my room.

I couldn't let her see my heart breaking. It was breaking piece by piece and I'm sure every time I see Lily with Deran it will break more.

* * *

James will be there when I fall. That's the kind of guy every girl dreams for and the guy I don't want. Although maybe I do want him. After all I did go to McGonagall practically begging for James to stay as Head Boy and was willing to suspend my own boyfriend from prefect duties if James wasn't going to be Head Boy. Let's just say that at the next quiditch practise James and Sam are going to be at each other's throats. I hope I didn't make this worse. I was only helping out a friend. 'Yeah but it hasn't helped your boyfriend.' I told myself. Was I falling for James? There was no way I could be falling for James Potter I promised everyone and myself that I wouldn't. I hate breaking promises. Yet at the same time James Potter was my dream guy.

Mum. She'll know what to do. I haven't told her I have a boyfriend yet so I'm sure she'll want to her what has happened. Grabbing some parchment and a quill I got started with my letter to my parents.

'_**Mum, Dad, **_

_**How have you been? I've been great except James and I had a massive argument in the Gryffindor tower for everyone to hear. It was about my new boyfriend Sam Deran a 6**__**th**__** year Gryffindor prefect and beater on the quiditch team. At first I thought James was just jealous and telling me that Sam wasn't someone to trust but now Sammie has been telling me that she thinks James is right. At first I thought Sam was perfect as he is good looking, smart, funny and kind but I've been told that he doesn't treat girl's right. People change though don't they? I know they do because James did. Following on from Sam we are going out on a date to Hogsmeade tomorrow but I'm starting to doubt my feelings for him. I'm scared that I'm falling for James. How can I be I've hated him for six years and suddenly as soon as he becomes Head Boy and grows up I start to like him. What should I do? I really like Sam and feel like he is different to what everyone says and I like James too he is just so reliable. He told me he would always be there for me no matter what which makes me think he's the perfect guy.'**_ I felt that I was only talking about my boy troubles in this letter but really that's all that has happened since the last time I wrote._** 'Also Gryffindor won the first Quiditch match thrashing Slytherin.' **_There we go something other than my problems. _**'Alice, Mary and Sammie are all doing fine and I have made a new friend who is also my ancient runes partner. Her name is Silvia and she is in Ravenclaw. Well any way I hope you're both fine. How's Petunia going is she still with what's his name?'**_ I was about to finish writing when I remembered the owl I got this morning._**'Stay safe. I hope nothing has happened and maybe you should visit Gran for a few days because I've been warned that you're in danger. I really hope you're not but please just to be sure. Leave go on a holiday or something but don't stay where you are. **_

_**Love Lily.'**_

There now all I have to do is wait for their reply. I know I won't get one before tomorrow morning and I'm sure it won't hurt to go with Sam. James did look heartbroken knowing that I've chosen Sam. Keeping him as Head Boy just gave him extra hope only to have that come crashing down. Am I really that shallow that I want to drag two guys into my life?

* * *

A/N

This is only a short chapter but if I kept writing I'll never find a good spot to stop. So Lily chose Sam when she is starting to like James. James will never get over Lily and will always be around. Sam also showed another side to him that no one had seen only heard about in the rumours yet Lily is willing to turn the other way and act like he didn't have anything to do with James. Hopefully she won't get hurt.  
SpringBabe.


	10. Betrayal

**Sorry that I uploaded chapter 9 twice I meant to upload this chapter instead. SilverLining1294 for pointing that out to me.**  
**Here is chapter 10.**

Chapter 10: Betrayal

I couldn't believe she would do that to me. Here we were in the Three Broomsticks having a drink talking about our families and there she was whispering into his ear right across from me.

"Lily, are you listening to me. I listened to you when you told me about your sister. You should return the favour by listening back." Sam said annoyed.

"Sorry I was just distracted that's all. What were you saying about your father?" I asked. Even though I already knew.

Every shop we went into today he had mentioned how his father had given him a stack fall of gallons to spend on his girlfriend. I already knew he was rich he didn't have to tell me in Honeydukes, the quill shop, the new bookstore, the clothes store and once again when we walked in for lunch.

"Just that my father has received a lot from the Ministry after my mum died. They've been really good to us and got both my brothers great respected jobs in the Ministry." Sam explained.

"Sorry about you're mum. How old were you when she passed?" I asked sincerely.

"Um 12, I don't really like to talk about it since it still feels like it's just happened." He told me awkwardly.

"Oh sorry I didn't mean to bring it up. Let's talk about something else, like the upcoming Quiditch game who do you think is going to win?" I asked changing the subject still watching Sammie and James.

"Okay I didn't think you were really interested in Quiditch but I think Ravenclaw will win. Hufflepuff just don't have the right skills for the game." Sam replied.

And there we were talking about Quiditch. At first I was really into the conversation but then soon enough as Sam kept telling me about the great tickets his father won and how he got a signed uniform from the Puddlemere united team. The whole I've got more money then you was starting to bore me. I just felt like screaming yes I already know you're rich you don't have to constantly remind me.

"Hey so I remember you were looking at that necklace for a while and you didn't buy it. If you want we can go back to that store once we've had lunch and I'll buy it for you. I have more than enough money." Sam told me.

"That's alright you should really spend some of that money on yourself. We haven't gone to zonkos yet and since I won't buy anything you should." I told him.

"Nah that's alright I'm not really into zonkos I mean why would I enjoy making fun of other people when people just enjoy my jokes. I like to make people laugh but not by hurting others in the process." Sam explained.

"That's nice. You are really kind to others there isn't any wonder to why you're a prefect." I praised him.

"Thanks. Talking about prefects why was Potter still Head Boy at last night's meeting. I'm sure you agree that he doesn't deserve it after what he did to me. I was lucky the worst I had was two black eyes and a bloody nose. If it was anything worse I'm sure James would have been kicked out of school." Sam explained.

"But James is your Quditch captain why do you two hate each other?" I asked surely it wasn't me.

Well two years ago I caught James making out with Zara Keely in the change rooms after the Gryffindor try outs. This was the year I didn't get in and I was going back to ask what I needed to improve on. Any way it got out of hand and James started to put pressure onto Zara to have sex with him. She kept refusing and he was on top of her so she couldn't get away. Anyway he wasn't going to leave her so instead he raped her and I saw the whole thing. I was going to tell McGonagall but he saw me and threatened me." Sam said.

"Really, but Zara would always talk to James last year surely she wouldn't talk to him if he raped her." I asked. I didn't believe Sam's story at all and I was starting to lose trust in him. He didn't even get his facts right. Zara never tried out for quiditch and she had well still has a boyfriend for the last three years. I also didn't believe that James was capable of doing that.

"Yeah well I think they were also family friends." Sam pondered.

When the food arrived we didn't say anymore and I tried my best to enjoy my salad. I'm sure I would have if it wasn't for the fact that Sammie was giving James and massage and running her fingers up his neck.

* * *

I was enjoying my conversation with the guys and Sammie until Lily and Deran walked in and were lead to a table two away from us. Also as soon as they walked in Sammie got incredibly close to me.

"What are you doing?" I hissed quietly.

"Just play along. We are going to make my dear friend jealous." Sammie whispered back.

"How she doesn't like me. Doesn't her sitting over there with Deran prove that?" I asked.

"Let's find out." Sammie whispered back her lips right next to my ear.

I tried my best not to look over and see what Lily was doing. She seemed to be engaged in a conversation with Deran the whole time until their meal came. I tried my best to concentrate on what Remus and Peter were discussing but Sammie was behaving extremely weird and I couldn't help but always glance over to see how Lily was going. It actually looked like Deran was boring her.

Score for me but she had praised him so high saying that he was perfect so maybe I was just imagining it.

"James can you make it look like you're paying for my food as well. That will make it look like we're on a date." Sammie whispered quietly.

"Um okay sure." I replied confused.

What was Sammie trying to prove? I thought she wanted me to pay for her so when the waitress came over to collect the bill Sammie put up an argument saying she should pay it's only the first date. The look on Remus' face was priceless though he had no idea, well I didn't either.

"James you're supposed to put up a fight and pay for me." Sammie hissed.

"Oh Sammie, really it's no problem I'll pay for you." I said hesitantly.

"Fine, but I'll buy something for you later?" Sammie said raising her voice so the whole place could hear her.

"Okay." I replied still confused what was she trying to get out of all of this.

"Well I'm going to the bathroom, be back in a few minutes." She said quieter so only the three of us could hear. "Don't worry I'll pay you back as soon as we are out of sight."

"What was that all about? You didn't tell me you were dating Sammie?" Remus asked.

"I didn't know that I was either." I replied really confused now. When was I going to be told what was going on.

* * *

"Sammie she's coming in get ready for the interrogation." Sirius whispered quietly into the two way mirror. I had swiped James so I could communicate with Sirius who was currently sitting under James' invisibility cloak at the table behind Sam and Lily listening into their conversation.

"Sammie what do you think you are doing. You've completely betrayed me." Lily screeched.

Thanks for the warning Sirius I barely had enough time to put the mirror away.

"I'm sorry; I didn't know going to Hogsmeade with my friends was betraying you." I replied acting innocent.

"Don't give me that crap, you know James likes me why are you hanging off his arm and flirting with him." She snapped.

"Lily you can't have two guys, you're not that type of girl. You're going out with Sam and besides I'm not seeing James." I smirked.

It worked I hope Sirius could hear this although maybe he shouldn't. I didn't know how out of control this was going to get. Sirius should have enough tact to realise when to turn away and if he does hear something he will be smart enough not to bring it up. Luckily we were the only two in here as well.

"Oh don't give me that I saw what you were doing to him. Your lips were basically in his ear you defiantly aren't here as just friends." Lily replied her voice still raised.

I changed my tone from acting like I didn't know anything to admitting the plan. "It worked then." I said smugly.

"What worked?" Lily asked. Now it was her turn to be confused.

"The plan Sirius and I had to make you jealous. We both knew that you had feelings for James. Don't deny it, you have a perfectly good looking date sitting right across from you that you have claimed to be you're perfect guy and all you can do is watch whatever I'm doing with James. There is no way you can deny the truth now." She has been sprung.

"I wasn't going to. You're right I do have feelings for James. I've only just realised it but I'm seeing James. Now that you know I need your help. I asked my parents last night but I need an answer now before I make the wrong choice. Sam isn't my idea of the perfect guy anymore. I don't know if he is acting different or if I'm seeing him differently." She admitted.

"Well you have to choose between James and Sam. You can't string them both along. James can't wait forever he's been waiting for 7 years soon enough he is going to face reality and figure that you aren't going to want him. If you want James you have to let him know soon. It sounds like you don't want to be with Sam so I'd end that as soon as possible. You don't want to lead him on and give him false hopes of a future between the two of you." I advised. To be honest she came to the right friend. I've had all types of boyfriend situations.

"Okay it's just that I don't think James and I will last since we are always arguing and fighting. We have never been able to work out our differences. I want a relationship that will work, not something that will last a few days." Lily mentioned.

"Well you did alright for a month until Sam got in the way. Maybe when you go out there will be no one to tear you both apart. Besides you don't know what it will be like until you try. You bring out the best in James and he compliments you. It would be incredibly stupid if the two Head's don't date." I chuckled.

"You're right. What I have with Sam isn't going to last any longer with Sam I'll break up with him afterwards and I'll give James a chance. But not straight away that will look suspicious. People will think that I was cheating on Sam." Lily agreed.

"Alright it's a plan. Now I'm going to get back to the guys and pay James back for my meal." I said leaving Lily giggling behind.

"Alright Sirius, It's worked out you don't need to follow them anymore." I whispered into the mirror once the door to the girl's bathroom closed behind me.

"Actually I think I should. One of Sam's friends came up and talked to him while Lily was talking to you. I'm going to make sure Sam doesn't try anything on Lily besides you should have heard what Sam told Lily about James I just hoped she didn't believe it." Sirius whispered back.

"I don't think she did. Alright be careful and make sure Lily doesn't get hurt." I whispered back before turning the mirror off and re-joining James, Remus and Peter.

"You took you're time. What happened?" Remus asked raising his eyebrow. "And would you like to fill us in on what has been happening?"

"I got talking to Lily and don't worry you'll find out soon enough. James here's your money I owe you don't worry we don't have to keep up the act. I've got my answer." I told them all.

Remus and James groaned. I knew they wanted a better answer but they aren't getting one. Not until Lily and James are together.

* * *

"You know Lily I haven't even asked you the basic getting to know you stuff such as what's your favourite colour and favourite food." Sam mentioned as we were walking back to the castle.

"That's alright look Sam there's something I need to tell you." I replied.

"But you know there's a way that we can get to know each other extremely well." Sam said giving no indication that he had heard me.

"Sam we don't have to you see-" I was going to dump him but he interrupted me again.

"Lily before we enter this broom cupboard there is something I need to ask you." Sam said his voice soft and peaceful.

"Did you same broom cupboard and what do you want to ask me." I asked feeling slightly worried now.

I didn't want to have sex with him. Especially not in a broom closet.

"You were the one that got James reinstated as Head Boy and Quiditch captain weren't you?" Sam asked. There was no softness to his voice that had been there the whole day.

"How did you know about that the only people that I told are James and Sirius?" I asked.

"Did you really think that the governors weren't informed as well?" Sam replied pushing me up against the wall.

"You're dad told you." I said voicing my thoughts. It made sense now. I thought that suspending James from his leadership roles was harsh even for McGonagall. "Your dad was going to pay McGonagall to suspend James wasn't she?" I asked. "That's why none of the girls you've been with have told the school about you. Daddy paid them well enough so they couldn't. How could I have been so stupid to have trusted you?" I said fiercely.

"Guess what, you're going to be another one." Sam smirked wickedly.

"No. I'm not getting in that broom cupboard. I'm not having sex with you and I'm not being paid to keep quiet." I said stubbornly.

"Well you are getting in that broom cupboard even if I have to make you. Besides you've already been half paid off." Sam replied grabbing my arm and forcing me in the cupboard.

He had strong grip and was much stronger than me. He only needed one arm to drag me into the small tight space even as I was trying to pull away. It was dark once the door was shut and I could only see the dark shape that was Sam pushing me up against the wall.

"You wouldn't rape me would you?" Even though I knew he would. It wasn't James that raped Zara it was him.

"I've done it before and who knows maybe you'll enjoy it. As I said before this is the best way to get to know someone." Sam replied flashing his pearly white teeth. My only source of light.

There was no way I was letting him rape me. I'm stronger then that I had to at least go down without a fight. I just had to find my wand.

"You raped Zara didn't you not James. You were trying to shift the blame onto someone else. How can you be so heartless?" I replied.

He just shrugged like he had committed no crime and moved his hands up to my arse and he had pressed his body up against mine trapping me in. I still had my voice though and my arms. I really wanted to knock his teeth out. Maybe then girls would be able to resist his once charming smile.

"You were so nice. Why did you have to change?" I asked stalling for time until I could think of something to do.

"I had to act nice. You wouldn't go out with me otherwise. Now stop talking and get on with it otherwise we'll be here all night." Sam said forcefully.

"Fine we'll stay here all night. I'm not doing this with you." I told him crossing my arms across my chest.

Like that's going to do anything Lily. I told myself.

"You know what I've tried playing nice with you but one way or another I'm getting in your pants and since you don't want to play nice." He said grabbing my arm and twisting it.

I screamed out in pain fearing that he was going to dislocate my shoulder. My other arm was useless i couldn't fight back with my left arm. I was right handed and that was the arm that was being twisted.

The only thing left was to head-butt him but that would probably hurt me even more. I was going to have to wait until my legs were free. He was still twisting me arm and I could feel the muscles twisting around under my skin. I just needed him to shift a bit more to the right so I could move my leg right up to where it hurts. For now maybe if I keep screaming someone will hear.

Someone has to be around to hear me. Everyone would be returning for Hogsmeade now.

I could hear footsteps coming closer to the door. "Please someone help." I screamed again.

"Shut up bitch." Sam shouted at me letting go of my hand to cover my mouth.

I clamped my teeth down around his hand hard and he yelped out in pain jumping back. That was all that I needed. I moved my right leg up and kicked him right in the balls. I ran right for the door where someone was struggling with the handle trying to open it. Now able to reach my wand I aimed it at the door handle and blasted the door open.

I ran right into the person who was trying to save me and collapsed right into their arms. It didn't matter who it was. I didn't care. Sam couldn't hurt me now.

* * *

Well I was surprised maybe Sam wasn't as bad as I thought. Maybe it was all in my head. Although the story about James rapping Zara was a bunch of bullshit. I have to admit it was creative to make up on the spot I wonder how many girls he had told that story too. Lily couldn't be the only one.

I watched from a good distance behind them as they headed up to the castle. Well Lily was safe. From what I interpreted from her chat with Sammie she was going to dump him once they got back to the castle. If Sam was going to do anything he missed his chance. Lily wouldn't give in to him anyway. Not now I saw what she did to Avery and my brother as long as she had her wand she'll be fine.

I had stopped in the middle of the road leading up to the castle and forgot about the people walking behind me because someone walked into me.

"Sirius what the hell, I thought you were following Lily not blocking people from walking." Sammie hissed.

"Oh good luckily it was Sammie, she knew about the invisibility cloak so I wouldn't have any awkward conversations with anyone else.

No one else was around for them to see me taking of the cloak so I could have a proper conversation with Sammie.

"It's all good they just went up to the castle. I thought you were with James and Remus?" I asked.

"Yeah I was I left them behind in Zonkos. What do you mean its good they went up to the castle that's where all the broom closets are!" Sammie said.

"Shit." I replied running straight up to the castle hopefully I could catch them.

I got into the castle and caught Lily being forced into a broom closet near the stairs just outside the Great Hall. Why would Deran chose that one, you can hear everything that's happening outside. It isn't the best for romantic moments. I ran up to the door and tried to open it but Deran must have locked it.

"Help, someone help me." I heard Lily scream. It was a very high pitch scream as well I couldn't have been the only one to hear it.

I wrestled with the door handle more but no amount of muscle was going to make it budge. Of course alohamora would work better but when I went to reach for my wand the door was forced open anyway and a very hysterical Lily emerged collapsing into my arms.

* * *

A/N  
So what do you think of this chapter. Well SkidRow4ever, IwillAKyou and emiily15 you were right. James and Sirius were telling the truth and Lily finally realised that. I'm sorry for any Lily fans that have read my fic and think that she isn't the girl that J.K. Rowling made her out to be but I thought the arguments between Lily and James couldn't just be James' fault, Lily had to have some fault aswell. Please continue reading and let me know what you think it's always good to know the feedback.  
SpringBabe xox


	11. It's Too Late

Chapter 11: It's Too Late

I was so disgusted with myself. How is it that I can take down two Slytherin's armed with wands when I can't get away from one guy who wants to rape me? I felt so dirty and sick knowing how close I had come to losing my virginity to a sleaze like that. I don't know what I would have done if Sirius hadn't turned up. Yes I got out of the closet but Sirius stopped Sam from coming after me, if I ran out alone I would have easily been pulled back in. It didn't matter that I had hurt Sam; he was leaning against the doorframe glaring straight at me when I turned back. If it wasn't for Sirius I would be even more of a mess than I am now.

If Sirius wasn't here right now sitting next to me on the couch holding me tight I'm sure I would be up in the bathroom throwing my guts up. I'm actually surprised he hasn't left me alone and gone after that bastard although I thank him for staying. I just need someone's comfort right now, someone who won't take advantage of me and I have to admit Sirius is someone like that. I have never known him to take advantage of any girl. Why would he. I had really opened my eyes this year and really seen James and Sirius for who they actually are. They're nice guys and I tried so hard to prove that they weren't.

"Shh, Lily it's alright, he can't hurt you now. You're safe." Sirius said softly wrapping his arms around me.

I didn't even realise I had been shaking for most of the time since Sirius whisked me up here. I was trying so hard to get the image out of my head but all I could see was Sam pulling me into that tiny cramped broom cupboard and trying to force me. My desperate screams for help as I tried to keep him off me, I wouldn't have lasted long. I probably wouldn't have been able to make an escape for it if Sirius wasn't trying to wrench the door off the hinges trying to get to me. My desperate flee right into Sirius' arms where I just collapsed and burst into tears not wanting to look back. I only looked back when Sirius had led me up the stairs, his hadn't let go of me since I collapsed into him, and I didn't try to leave his grasp. I felt safe in his arms.

"Thank you," I whispered barely audible.

"Lily I barely did anything, you got out of there." Sirius responded.

"No, you've done heaps. You've made me feel safe. I wouldn't have thought I'd feel safe right after I managed to open the door but you have." I said finding my voice.

I don't know why I did it I guess it's what every damsel in distress does but I leant in and kissed him. Right on the lips too. Shocked by what I just did I threw myself out of his arms and ran up to my room. Actually I ran into the bathroom, I needed to throw up. I no longer felt safe. I felt very vulnerable and I couldn't stop myself shaking. Managing to hold myself up by the sink I got a good view of myself in the mirror. I looked a mess. My hair, something I took my time to style this morning was a mess it didn't resemble anything like this morning. My face was covered in black tear streaks and my eyes were red and puffy. Why didn't I listen to anyone's advice? Why didn't I owl mum sooner asking for advice with my dilemma. Her reply will arrive any day now and it'll be too late. Too late to say no to Sam.

* * *

I was shocked. That was the only thing I could think of when her lips touched mine. I didn't expect it at all. She basically told Sammie that she would go out with James and then she kissed me. It wasn't the greatest kiss I had ever had. Too be honest it was one of the worst. It was really short and sudden. No passion, no lust, no romance. Obviously she just wanted to thank me for rescuing her when I did no such thing.

I got up to go see if she was alright. I was scared she was going to pass out or something. She hadn't stopped shaking since we reached the couch.

"Oh shit." I said voicing my thoughts.

There standing in the doorway was James, he was in the shadow but that didn't hide the rage on his face. I was sure it was nothing. I'm sure Lily would think it's nothing. James doesn't look like he thinks it's nothing.

"Look Prongs, I can explain." I said quickly holding up my hands.

"You said you were the bad cop; trying to get her to like me, see me as good. How long have you been sneaking around with her. I thought it was nothing at first. I told myself it was nothing. All those secret meetings you spent with her in the library for extra help. I suppose Deran was just some kind of ruse. Publicise that she's in a relationship with him; someone we both know isn't good for her when it's you. You both used Deran so you could continue on with your merry relationship behind my back. What a great mate you are. I thought you were my brother how can I trust you?" James shouted jumping to conclusions. Really creative ones as well, although I had no idea where he got the ideas from.

"Would you just let me explain it's not like that at all it's actually a really simple explanation." I reasoned.

"Oh is it. Don't lie to me Sirius. Get out. Get out of my dorm." James shouted throwing his bag at me and just missing my head.

Whatever zonkos products he had just bought I doubt they're in one piece right now. Maybe I should wait for him to calm down.

* * *

"So how was your date Alice?" I asked.

I had only got back to find that Alice had been back for at least half an hour and then Mary walked in five minutes after I did.

"It wasn't too bad. I don't know if I want to get attached to him though." Alice replied.

"Why, is that a bad thing?" Mary asked.

"It's not. Alice quickly said realising what she had just said. "I just don't want a relationship right now."

"Alice you've said that for the past two years now. When do you think it will be the right time for a relationship?" I asked.

"When I think it is obviously." Alice replied in a tone that said don't push.

"Prongs, please just listen to me that kiss. It didn't mean anything. You can ask her she didn't mean it I know. There was nothing. I'm sure it was meant for you." Sirius said from my pocket.

Crap. I forgot I still had James' mirror but this was interesting.

"What kiss Sirius? Who kissed you?" I asked.

"Huh. Hey Sammie what are you still doing with James' mirror. You said you were going to give it back straight after you got back." Sirius replied.

"I only just got back, besides James doesn't need it right now. What kiss are you talking about? What happened to following Lily?" I asked but he had left.

"What was that about and why were you talking to Sirius through a mirror?" Mary asked.

Alice who refused to be part of anything that had Sirius in it was busy folding her clothes and packing them neatly in her draws.

"I have no idea what Sirius is on about but I stole James' two way mirror this morning so I could communicate with Sirius while he followed Lily and Sam around. We were both scared he would try something so Sirius pretended he had detention and instead was following Lily around." I confessed.

"Well come on Sammie put two and two together. Sirius was following Lily around all day. Something must have happened as soon as Sam left why else would Black be apologising about a kiss to James." Alice tutted.

"You don't think that Lily kissed Sirius do you. That's absurd, that's as absurd as saying Lily isn't a virgin." I remarked.

"I'm not saying that Lily would kiss Sirius I'm saying that Sirius kissed Lily and James caught them." Alice replied.

"That's ridiculous." I shrieked looking to Mary for confirmation but she was very interested in the thread on her quilt. "Sirius knows that Lily is and always will be James'. He wouldn't betray their friendship by doing something like that. Besides Lily's not his type."

"He doesn't have a type." Alice remarked.

"How would you know?" I asked threateningly. I guess I also held Sirius as more than a good friend maybe I should never have broken things off with him. Nothing was going wrong at the time.

"I know more than you think." Alice replied and walked out.

"Have I missed something?" I asked Mary but she just shrugged her shoulders in reply.

* * *

"Lily what did he do to you." Alice gasped standing in my doorway.

Yes I had given all my friends the password to our common room. In the end James and I agreed that they were coming in too much and it was such a hassle to constantly get up and open the door for them. I forgot that they could come and go whenever they pleased, it also meant that Sirius would be bounding in and out whenever he wanted to but after seeing how sweet he was this afternoon I didn't mind.

"He, he… he almost raped me." I choked fighting back the sobs.

I was still too upset about it. It did after all happen 4 hours ago. It was a real shock to me. Knowing that the nice boys could turn into assholes. It made me appreciate how nice Sirius and James really were. It also made me regret how much I hated them for the six years.

"He did what?" Sammie shrieked. Also barging into my room. Mary right behind her.

"He was apologising to James about a kiss that meant nothing to him and claimed that you initiated it. When this is what he did to you? Wait till James finds out about this." Alice stated.

"Wait what was he apologising to James for. James has seen us kiss a few times." I asked confused. "Who are you talking about?"

"Who are you talking about?" Alice replied.

"Who are you both talking about?" Mary asked.

"Sam." I stated right as Alice replied with Sirius.

We both looked at each other like we couldn't understand what the other had said.

"D… d… did you say Sam nearly raped you." Alice stammered. "But he was so nice."

"Apparently it was all some ruse. He's been buying off girls so they wouldn't tell. That's why no one would confirm the rumours." I spat so angry with myself for falling for him.

"Lily I'm so sorry, I had no idea that he would hurt you this bad." Sammie apologised.

"What do you have to apologise to me for, you didn't put him up to it. I'm the one who should be sorry. You warned me that something might happen and I chose not to listen to you." I said.

"Alice why did you think Sirius would do that to Lily?" Mary asked.

"Well I just thought it had something to do with what he was saying to James about how he didn't mean to kiss Lily. Alice said defending herself. "She never told me it was Sam and I just assumed it was Sirius who did this to Lily."

"Sirius didn't kiss me." I told her. They might as well know the truth if Alice was jumping to conclusions that Sirius was some rapist. Sammie gave Alice a knowing smirk. "I kissed him."

All three mouths dropped open. I swear Alice's hit the floor.

"What!" They all exclaimed.

"How could you. You swore that you would never be friends with James and Sirius and when you did I thought that maybe they had changed. Kissing Sirius that's an all-time low. You know what he does. He is as bad as Sam." Alice said once she closed her mouth.

"What is your problem with Sirius? Just because you don't like him doesn't mean other people can't. Can you please tell us what makes you think that Sirius is like that? You don't know anything about him. You won't even try. This is what I've been telling Lily about James for the past three years. What is it about Sirius that makes you see him as someone as bad as You Know Who." Sammie asked Alice shouting slightly.

Mary took a step back sensing a fight about to irrupt between the two of them. I knew Sammie was close friends with Sirius and I figured out that Alice didn't like him but they had never let that stop them from being friends. Actually Sammie and Alice were good friends with Sirius until she came back for sixth year and suddenly like me only talked to Remus. At first I thought she was being a good friend and standing by me as I pronounced my hatred for James and Sirius each day. But now, now that I'm friends with them it's something more.

It clicked. "You're the girl."

"What?" Sammie and Mary asked really confused but Alice knew what I was talking about.

"You remember when I told you about the duel that happened between Avery, Black and I when I was on rounds." I asked them. They all nodded and I continued. "Well Sirius found me and I made him promise not to tell James. Well he agreed as long as I did something for him." I paused and when they didn't talk I continued Alice looked like she didn't want to hear anymore. "Well he wanted me to find this girl who I've just realised is Alice. Apparently Sirius got so drunk at the end of year party that he couldn't remember who the amazing girl was that he kissed. All that he could remember was the kiss and her brown eyes." I finished.

"That was you." Sammie said.

Alice just nodded. "There was more than just kissing I was pretty drunk as well since I was still getting over Jason Ziller and we ended up in some room on the bed with half our clothes off." Alice concluded. "He didn't have a condom so we didn't go all the way which now I am so relieved we didn't. I thought the night was great but I left the next morning and it turns out he couldn't remember a thing. That's what hurts the most, is that he doesn't remember who he nearly had sex with when we spent more than two hours together."

"I'm sure Sirius will be overjoyed when he finds out. I'm sure that's why he's kissed so many girls. So he can find you." Mary suggested.

"No. He isn't going to find out. Don't you see? He only wants to end whatever we had so he can add me to the list of girls he's shagged." Alice snorted. "Besides I have a boyfriend."

"You told us just before that you didn't want to get attached to him." Sammie replied. It looked like they wanted Alice and Sirius to be a couple.

"No, not Brandon. I guess I have to tell you now. I'm in a relationship with someone else." Alice replied.

"Who, and isn't it cheating on him if you went on a date with someone else?" I asked.

"No it's not. I'm in an open relationship with someone outside of school." Alice replied. "Do you remember Frank Longbottom?"

"The Ravenclaw that graduated two years ago?" Mary asked.

"Yeah that's him. Well you remember that we went out for the last half of my fifth year." Alice said.

"Yeah I thought you broke up with him during the summer holidays before sixth year because of the numerous amounts of pranks you played on his mother and you didn't want a long distance relationship." I replied.

"Well that's what I thought at first but apparently he liked the fact that I had enough nerve to defy his mum. Apparently no one had ever dared try something like that. I was the one that suggested the open relationship idea as long as we promised that we wouldn't have sex with anyone." Alice finished.

"And you kept this from us all of last year." Sammie shrieked but this time she was smiling.

Seems like she had completely forgotten about the fight that was going to happen five minutes ago.

"Lily why exactly did you kiss Sirius?" Sammie asked remembering the whole reason that she came.

* * *

He claimed that there was nothing going on between the two of them that the kiss between them meant nothing yet he was walking her to every class even the ones he didn't have with her and acting all over protective of her. Also I heard Sammie yell about Lily keeping it from them for two years. That was the worst part realising he had been keeping it from me for two years. Did our friendship mean nothing to him that he was willing to betray me for two years? I spent the whole week shunning him and only talked to Remus and Peter. I refused to sit near him something that he picked up on quick and he was always sitting with Lily and her friends. Quiditch practises were dreadful. Sirius would ignore all my instructions and was only interested in hitting the bludgers extremely hard at Deran.

"You do realise that there is more to the story than when you saw Lily kissing Sirius right?" Sammie told me.

"Yes they've been sneaking around my back for the past year and Sirius betrayed me. He should have just told me last year when they starting seeing each other instead of lying to me and letting me catch them." I replied about to punch a wall.

Why did everyone want to bring this up? Even Deran who claimed he knew the real reason that Sirius was always with Lily. That stopped me from almost apologising to him for what I said to him before Lily went out on a date with him.

"Lily only kissed him because she wanted to thank him." Sammie said.

"Thank him. What for?" I asked trying to act like I already knew.

"Because he saved her when Deran was about to rape her." Sammie said bluntly.

I wasn't expecting that. If it was true it changed everything. I needed to know now.

"He's in his dorm." Sammie smirked.

"So" I replied already starting to walk that way.

"Right so you don't feel like a giant idiot for believing that Sirius would betray you and that Lily would chose Sirius when she likes you and has been so upset about why you haven't looked at her all week." Sammie smirked again.

"What?" I asked. Did she just say that Lily liked me?

"Oh come on you know it's true." She said.

"No what did you say about Lily liking me?" I asked again.

"What, no I didn't. Oh just go find Sirius and kiss and make up." Sammie stormed off.

She didn't mean to let that slip. I couldn't believe it. Lily Evans the girl I've been chasing for six years finally likes me.

"Is it true?" I asked not flinging open the door and marching straight over to his bed.

"Is what true Prongs." Sirius replied not looking at me and flipping through the pages of the Quiditch magazine he was reading.

"Is it true that Lily kissed you? And that Deran almost raped her." I asked.

"Yes. Congratulations for finding out the truth. That's what I've been trying to tell you all week." Sirius replied dryly.

"I am so sorry I jumped to conclusions it's just that you've been acting really weird around Lily. Meeting her in the library when you don't even study and following her around all week. Though I understand why now. Can you please forgive me?" I asked, trying to hide the plea in my voice.

"I told myself that I wouldn't forgive you if you didn't hear me out after two days but I guess maybe it has looked like I have been seeing her behind your back. I thought you knew I'd never do that to you but even brothers get jealous of nothing. So I forgive you." Sirius replied standing up and embracing me in a manly hug. "Now go find Lily and ask her out?"

I was running around all over the place. First the corridor by the kitchens where I met Sammie then up to the Gryffindor 7th year boy's dorms and now my common room where hopefully Lily was.

"Lily." I said softly in shock of seeing her sitting on the couch holding her knees and rocking back to forth. I had never see her so vulnerable. Deran must have hurt her bad.

"James." She choked.

"I'm so sorry. I wasn't there to catch you. I wasn't there when you needed me like I said. I'm sorry that I jumped to conclusions about you liking Sirius when I never heard the full story." I apologised moving over to comfort her.

For the first time in my life. Lily allowed me to put my arms around her and pull her into my chest tightly.

"I'm sorry to. For not listening to you about Sam. He just made me feel so weak and vulnerable that we Sirius showed up I felt like I was the damsel in distress that he had just saved." Lily sobbed.

"Shh it's ok." I soothed.

"No it's not. I didn't mean to kiss him. It didn't mean anything. It was just a kiss to say thank you for saving me. There was no spark nothing. It was a pretty horrible kiss." Lily continued to explain.

"I know. Don't worry I won't let you get hurt again. Besides you're not a damsel in distress. You're not weak. Sirius finally gave in and told me what happened between Avery and his brother. That would have taken strength and skill to win against them both and remain standing when they fight dirty." I told her. "You're the strongest person I know."

We stayed liked that for a while. She was laying against me and I was stroking her hair. I'm sure we could have stayed like that for forever if we weren't interrupted by an owl tapping on the window.

I jumped up to open the window and Lily followed since it was her owl. I stood near her silently as she untied the letter from her owl's leg and watched him fly away.

It must have been from her parents. Who else uses paper envelopes? It was addressed Freak though. I'm sure her parents don't call her that. I watched her carefully as she unfolded and read the letter slowly.

"They're dead." She finally said the tears that had stopped before were falling from her emerald green eyes again. "My parents. They're dead."

I held out my arms and she collapsed into them bursting into tears. Using my shoulder to cry on.

"I'm here for you Lily. I won't ever leave you." I whispered into her eye pulling her in tighter towards my chest.

* * *

**A/N  
so what do you think. Lily told her friends what happened. Alice is Sirius' mystery girl except she is already in a relationship with Frank. Anyone surprised that she's in an open relationship with someone two years older than her? Looks like James may have to wait a bit longer for Lily and Sirius is still the same rarely showing his sweet nice side unless someone needs comforting.  
Read and Review. Let your friends know. Spread the story. Whatever you like.  
SpringBabe xox **


	12. The Final Goodbye

Chapter 12: The Final Goodbye

"James." Lily spoke in a barely audible whisper.

I hadn't even heard her come in. She had barely talked to anyone and spent most of her time walking around the grounds avoiding all of us.

I replied with "Yeah Lily." The last few days had been really awkward and we hadn't had much time to talk. I was so close to asking her out but now after everything that had happened with Sam and her parents it just wasn't right. At least I knew she liked me.

"Well my parent's funeral has been arranged for the day after tomorrow so I was wondering if you would like to come with me. I know they would have liked you. If you don't that's okay I just wanted to let you know that I probably wouldn't be up for the prefects meeting in advance." She said.

I looked at her with a small smile I didn't know how to respond it was a funeral after all you aren't meant to be looking forward to it but if it meant I would be able to spend more time with Lily I was all for it. "Sure, I'll come. What about Sammie, Mary and Alice are you going to ask them?" I asked as an afterthought.

"Yeah I was going to ask them just after I asked you. I was thinking of asking Remus and Sirius as long as he won't cause any trouble." Lily replied.

"Sirius won't he knows when he has to behave." I reassured her and followed her up to the Gryffindor tower.

"Ah Miss Evans, Mr Potter. I was just looking for you. McGonagall said stepping in front of us.

"What is it Professor." Lily said her voice not as shaky as it was before.

"Well firstly I wanted to offer my condolences to you Miss Evans; I know how hard this is for you." McGonagall said.

"Thank you Professor, I appreciate it." Lily replied sweetly her eyes starting to water.

"I also hate to be the bearer of bad news but your parent's funeral is in two days' time. Dumbledore has allowed for you to invite your friends as long as you let me know who they are by tomorrow and that they have permission from their parents to leave the school grounds."

"Yes Professor I'll just go ask them now. I've already asked James." Lily told her looking at me.

"Ah that's where this becomes slightly difficult. Do you remember Mr Potter about how you would have to be on your best behaviour? That includes not missing classes to. I hate to do this back you won't be permitted to go the funeral with Lily. I know that Lily has asked you herself but you are also needed to stay at the school as you are Head Boy. I am sorry Potter and but I don't have a choice." McGonagall finished slowly walking away.

"To bad." I said just quiet enough that McGonagall couldn't hear me. "I not letting Lily go by herself. Not at a time like this."

"James you shouldn't come. I would rather you didn't and be extremely miserable for that day than be extremely miserable for the rest of the year because you aren't Head Boy. I need you to be Head Boy, I don't think I could work alongside anyone else and enjoy there company as I much as I do with you. Besides at least then I'll have one thing to look forward to when I come back." Lily finished on a lighter note.

"Is that really how you feel?" I asked surprised.

At the start of the year Lily would have preferred to be working with anyone else. She hated me that much but now she actually thought that there was no one better. "I can think of many other people that would be a better Head Boy than me and that's what you told me at the beginning of the year." I told her.

"There isn't. Out of all of them I would choose you. Besides at the beginning of the year I was refusing to tell myself that you had matured when you showed that you towards after the Christmas holidays last year. " She reassured me with a half-smile. I guess it was still too soon to see a full smile. I didn't really expect that what with the funeral now on her mind.

* * *

I really needed James today but the thought of him not being by my side for the rest of the year was worse than knowing that he wasn't able to comfort me today.

Remus and Sirius stood on either side of me as we stood silently and watched my parents coffins get lowered into the grave. Petunia standing close to the priest with her fat lump of a boyfriend Vernon not lifting her head up to see how I was doing. At least I cared enough about her to do that.

I felt a hand on my shoulder and turned to give Remus a water smile. I felt bad knowing that I hadn't spent my time with him. He was the only marauder that I used to be able to talk to without shouting at but now I had them all. I was grateful to all my friends for just being there for me. Sammie, Mary and Alice stood on either side of Sirius and Remus tears also in their eyes. They had met my parents before even if it was only once and Alice told me that this was a fate that they didn't deserve. Mary who was the kindest person you'll ever meet was crying silently she had never met them but that didn't matter it was comforting to know that she cared anyway.

"Well if you would like to all come inside for some tea and scones. I'm sure you all have many stories to tell about the two." The priest said softly once the funeral was over.

Petunia and Vernon were the first to leave, giving one last glance at where my parents now lay before walking hand in hand to the little room.

I looked at all my friends and saw that they weren't going to leave me; they were waiting for me to say my final goodbye. I couldn't even remember what the last words that I said to them. I really needed James with me, his hand on my shoulder or his arms around my waist as I stood next to the stone where my mother laid. Not that Remus wasn't doing a good job a comforting me but my heart was aching for James. He was the only one that was able to heal my heart. Yes it probably wasn't going to be whole again but I knew that he was the only one that could fix it.

"Hi mum, dad." I said really quietly sitting down and drawing my knees into my chin.

The others took and few steps back realising that I wanted a few words with my parents before we had to leave. I needed that the last time I saw them was when I stepped through the barrier promising that I'd be able to see them for Christmas. Now I couldn't see them because of the six feet of dirt separating us. Why didn't I let my mum's hugs linger. Let dad tease me more about James Potter who at the time I refused to like. I couldn't tell them that I had finally become friends with all the marauders and could admit to myself that I liked James.

"I wish I gave you a warning sooner. Gave you a chance to leave and hide. I never got a chance to talk to you about everything that happened. My last letter was asking you for boy advice. If I had of known I would have told you everything, explained what was really happening in the wizarding world. But you see I didn't want you to worry and as much as I love you I belong in this world. I know it's dangerous especially for people like me but you see I'm not going to let the person causing this war get away with what he's doing. One of the ways I've gained some new strength is because I've made some knew friends. Well I know you are going to laugh at this but do you remember how I said that Remus Lupin was such a kind boy that deserved better friends than James and Sirius? Well as well as become better friends with Remus I have also become good friends with Sirius Black and have realised that James and I have some kind of relationship brewing. I wish I could see you and tell you in person. Mary, Sammie and Alice are also here too. So are Remus and Sirius, I asked James to come but he wasn't allowed seeing as he is Head Boy and couldn't leave the school, not to mention that he is kind of on probation which was kind of my fault." I told them not bothering to wipe away the tears and letting them hit the soft soil.

Standing up I kept looking at their graves. "Mum, Dad thank you so much for raising me who I am I am so grateful for everything you have done for me and I would have it any other way. I couldn't image having greater parents then you. I'm sorry that you never got to see Petunia and I make up and I scared to tell you that we probably never will. I hate to say that we now belong in two different worlds. Don't worry I will never forget you. You will always be with me no matter where I am and if I am completely separated for my old life. Even if I'm in the midst of the warding world you will be there with me. I love you so much and I hope that you will never forget how much I owe you." I finished.

Ready for my last goodbye and making sure that no one was looking I conjured a bunch of flowers. Lilies to be exact, for both mum and dad. Resting them against the graves I said my last and final goodbye feeling guilty that I won't be able to come back. I've made my choice. I've chosen the wizarding world and it seems heartless knowing that now mum and dad were gone I was never going back to my old life. Maybe that's what I needed to heal more a completely different life separated from the rest of the Muggles.

I turned around looking one last time regretting that I was about to turn my backs on them but it was something I had to do.

Alice and Remus were there standing right next to me comforting me while Sirius, Mary and Sammie conjured big bouquets of roses that covered the graves so you could barely see the tombstone.

"It's alright; don't forget we're here for you." Mary told me softly as the others joined us and we walked into the little room to grab something to eat before we needed to get back to Hogwarts.

* * *

I found it hilarious to see that Lily's sister Pansy or whatever her name is was stick thin and had a long face sort of like the faces that horses have while her boyfriend resembled a humongous walrus. The moustache wasn't improving his looks. When we got into the room where there was refreshments waiting we found that they were the only ones left. Not that there was many there to begin with. There was only half a plate of scones left and they looked hard enough to break your teeth that I didn't want to touch them.

"You did this." Horsey shrieked storming over to Lily as soon as she entered the room.

Both had distinguishable tear streaks down their faces but I found it hard to believe that Lily's sister was playing the blame game. Especially here of all places. Who starts a fight at their parents funeral it wasn't something I would ever do. Although I was never told when my father died during the summer holidays. It was only when I got back to school that Regulus finally told me.

"Hey that is completely wrong." I snapped at the older girl defending Lily.

Remus and the other girls looked like they were about to draw their wands.

"Really do you know what one of the officers told me when I arrived at the house after I heard what had happened? He told me that they were murdered by one of your lot." Petal shouted. I didn't like her enough to bother learning her name.

"What do you mean her lot is she a criminal or something?" Walrus asked standing up shocked and rushing to his girlfriend aid as if she was going to be attacked.

"Look here Pansy." I told her standing between her and Lily knowing that it wasn't her real name but it sounded worse than Petal. "Lily did nothing to cause your parents death. There was nothing to prevent it. Unfortunately there is someone in our world that hates people like you and while Lily is a witch she is also known as a muggle born. It's not her fault that she wasn't born into a wizarding family." I told her.

"Sirius." Lily and Remus groaned.

I realised too late that I had said too much. I forgot that this bloke would know nothing about us.

"What is he talking about?" Walrus said his moustache twitching.

"Nothing important, my sister. Although she isn't my sister really belong to a school that helps people like them. They're all a bit crazy in the head. I'm surprised that they were all allowed to come today." Horsey explained.

"That's complete bull Petunia Evans. I know you're ashamed of me that you are jealous of me. I can understand that but you have just insulted my friends and I can't accept that. I can take it when you have a go at me. When you call me a freak but to call my friends insane and act like they belong to a metal institute is completely, utterly..." Lily said loudly causing us all to jump.

I think we all thought she was grieving too much to speak.

"Think what you like, you aren't a sister of mine but I know what you truly are. Just so you know I don't want anything to do with you again. I've realised what you truly are and I'm not going to die because of you. Don't speak to me ever again. I don't know you." Petunia shouted.

I could see that Lily was hurt, we all could and none of us could restrain ourselves from drawing our wands.

"See what I mean." She muttered to her boyfriend. "Completely insane why else would they carry around sticks."

I was about to hex her good. How dare she insult Lily? Lily was the most down to earth and one of the nicest people I had the pleasure to meet. I was told that Mary was kinder but I never really spoke to her much but Lily grabbed my arm and shook her head.

"If she wants nothing to do with me she can have that wish." Lily said sadly.

"Well what are you waiting for perform you're magic and leave oh and before you do. Vernon and I are getting married. Don't worry you aren't welcomed at the wedding." She said shrilly.

"You want to see some magic." Lily muttered quietly so her sister and the Walrus couldn't hear. "Let's disappearate right in front of them that will give them a shock."

I had to admit that sounded pretty wicked since Penelope seemed to hate magic.

"1, 2, 3…" and we were gone.

* * *

"Ah Miss Evans your back I wasn't expecting you for at least another hour or two." Dumbledore greeted at the front gates. Remus had sent along his patronus so someone would know to open the gates for us.

"Why is that sir?" I asked the funeral only went for an hour and then the reception was quick.

"Well the will and testimony is supposed to be read now." Dumbledore said glancing at his watch.

Of course Petunia would have forgotten to mention that, she would have wanted everything and since I wasn't going to get there in time Petunia would receive everything my parents wanted me to have.

"Oh, that's alright sir I always bring all my stuff to Hogwarts anyway." I told him with a reassuring smile.

"Well then why don't you all head into the Great Hall for an early lunch, and don't worry Mr Black you are still all excused from classes unless you wanted to go." Dumbledore chuckled seeing Sirius' worried face at the thought of having to go to class.

"Excellent I'm starving." Sirius moaned taking a seat on the long bench.

"Lily are you sure you don't want to go and hear the will?" Sammie asked grabbing a chicken wing.

"No, it's alright this way it will be easier for me to leave the Muggle world behind. I don't belong there anymore. Once I leave Hogwarts I'll be a graduated witch who won't belong in my old life. I want to live in the wizarding world completely not half and half." I replied sadly.

"You know, you won't hear many muggle borns say that." Remus said. "Most of them start to believe the blood status crap and start to think that they only belong in the Muggle world. It's nice to see that at least one person believes that you have the right to be known as just a witch."

"Thanks, Remus." I said.

I don't know why what Remus said made me remember it but there was something I left behind something that Petunia wouldn't keep. Something that was important to me and something that I didn't want ruined.

"What is it?" Alice asked noticing that I had gasped and dropped my fork onto my plate so it made a light ding.

"I just remembered something. There is one thing that Petunia can't have." I said standing up abruptly. "I have to see Dumbledore and floo home immediately."

"Wait Lily I'll come with you." Remus volunteered.

"Remus you don't have to, I'll be alright I'm only going home and then I'll floo back." I reassured him.

"Yeah but if you come with us, we can show you a way into Hogsmeade, that way you can apparate straight away if there is any trouble." Sirius said standing up and joining Remus.

"Fine but we can't all go. You three need to tell James where we are." I told Alice, Sammie and Mary who looked a little left out since they weren't coming.

"Come on this way Lily." Sirius encouraged leading me down a dark passage. Now it was obvious how the marauders always seemed to have a stash of sweets and butterbeer whenever I saw them. They had a secret passageway into Hogsmeade where they could go whenever they felt like it.

Almost immediately once we were reunited with sunlight I grabbed Remus and Sirius' hands and disappeared to my old home. Standing in front of it, it looked just as I left it. White washed walls, ivy creeping up the sides and the stepping stone path that curved up to the front door. There was no car in the driveway so I assumed that Petunia hadn't come yet.

"Alright this is the plan. We go inside I get what I came for and then we leave. If you hear a car pull up in the driveway then I need you to charm the front door locked so Petunia can't get in until we are gone. It won't look good if she turns up and we are here." I told them in a hushed voice.

Both the boys nodded and stayed in the hallway while I started climbing up the stairs. It was weird, I was expecting to see scorch marks or some sort of sign that spells had been cast but there was no sign of a fight inside the house. It looked like mum had just cleaned it and that dad had just pruned the roses. It was like they had just gone down to the shops and would be back soon. I was also surprised to see mum's handbag lying on the kitchen table. Surely someone would have taken it. Mum always had some money in it and Dad's car keys were hanging limply on the key rack next to his work and truck key. The third step had that little bit of a creak that always happened when you stepped on it and the picture frames hung straight. Mum had a little bit of obsessive compulsory disorder and that normally explained why the house was spotless and everything was in order.

Even if the house was just like I had left it, it didn't feel like home anymore. It had the sense of death but maybe that was because I knew my parents had both died right by the front door.

It should have been in my room but I knew that mum liked to take it and improve it each year. Luckily I saw it sitting neatly folded on my bedside table. Most people would find it weird that I came all this way for a blanket but to me this was a blanket that meant everything to me.

Dad and Mum decided that since I was always getting clothes from friends and family when I was a baby that I should have a blanket. Petunia got a knitted blanket from my grandma who passed away two months before I was born. Dad apparently thought that I deserved one two and learnt to cross stitch and sew. Apparently it was a funny sight and for the first few weeks of refusing Mum's help dad had to go days without the use of his thumbs since they had been stabbed multiple times. In the end mum finished it off for dad and I got a blanket. At first it only had a lily on it but mum wanted to add something on each year. Normally she would take it a month or a week before my next birthday and add a new picture on depending on how busy she was around January and sometimes she added one on before I went back to school. It looked like she had added another one on while I had been gone.

Right next to the cross stitch of the wand which mum added once we found out I was a witch was a gold and red star. Normally I knew what each cross stich meant or why she added it but I didn't understand why she had added a gold star on a red background. They only thing it represented was the Gryffindor house colours.

Swiping the blanket off my bed I heard shouts from Sirius letting me know that Petunia had arrived. I turned around to hurry down the stairs and lead the boys down outside the back door where we would be able to disapperate without being seen but something caught my eye. On my bedside table was a photo of the whole family right before I went to Hogwarts. Petunia was wearing a scowl since she didn't want to be standing next to me in the photo. I was holding my cousin Jemima who was one at the time and her Aunt Lacy was standing behind me in-between mum and dad. That was my whole family as mum's parents had passed away before I was born and my dad's dad died a year before the photo was taken. Now it was only Petunia and me we were the only descendants of the Evan's and Hallow family. Jemima drowned two years ago in her neighbours pool and Aunt Lacy succumbed to depression right after her daughter died realising she was alone, since Uncle Mike walked out on Aunt Lacy right before she became pregnant with Jemima. I don't think he knew he had a daughter neither mum or dad mentioned his name again. But two weeks after Jemima died Aunt Lacy committed suicide and was found the next day dead in her living room gas filling the room instead of oxygen.

It was sad to know that Petunia and I were the only ones left and I didn't want my children not knowing that I had a family so I grabbed the frame remembering that there was something important about it. Sure enough as I turned it over I saw 10 digits on the back of the frame. It felt heavier than usual, and there was a slight bulge behind the back of the frame that kept the picture secure. Not having time to work out what the bulge was I grabbed the picture wrapped it in the blanket before hurrying down the stairs back to Remus and Sirius who were doing a good job of keeping Petunia out.

"I don't know why it isn't opening. I have the right key." Petunia huffed frustrated.

"Quickly we'll go out the back way." I whispered.

"Are you sure, maybe this is sabotage from your sister or something maybe she is already here taking as much as she can. Why else wouldn't she show up at the reading?" Someone else said.

Realisation dawned on Petunia as figured that was the only possibility. "Lily Evans you are so dead when I open this door."

I wanted to make a snide remark to that and I could see that Sirius was about to but both Remus and I shook our heads at him. As quietly as we could we ran down the hall and out through the back door where the charm the boys had put on the door broke and I heard Petunia fall through the door that had opened all of a sudden.

Before she had a chance to move down the hall we apparated into Hogsmeade.

* * *

Sammie, Alice and Mary all spoke over the top of each other at lunch time when I asked where Lily, Remus and Sirius were. I could remember being told that her sister was a horrible person but to purposely keep Lily from knowing about the will was possibly the shallowest thing I had ever heard a person do. Especially from your own sister. Whatever Lily had gone back for it was obviously important to her and something that Petunia would probably trash. Apparently I had just missed them leaving so I wasn't going to see them until after I had finished with classes. Of course it would be Arithmacy which was the class that only Remus, Sirius and Lily were taking so it looked like I would be on my own. Hopefully this meant that I wouldn't have to present the assignment to the class.

Lily was sitting on the couch when I got back. No one was with her which was weird since I thought that everyone would be wanting to comfort her after what happened today. After all she saw her parents being lowered into the ground, Petunia told her to never come back and she was left out of the will. Well I'm sure she wasn't left out but now Petunia would own everything. She wasn't crying but she was turning a photo over and over in her hands a blanket I had never seen wrapped around her. These must have been the only things she wanted to take.

"Hi." I mumbled.

"Hi, how were classes?" She asked politely or otherwise she just wanted to know.

"Boring, normally they are good because I can always glance at you." I told her hoping I didn't sound creepy. She blushed so I took that at as a good sign.

"I wanted you to come, you know but I'm glad you didn't. I don't know what I would have done if I couldn't have spent the rest of my life with you." She said still looking at the photo.

That shocked me a bit because she said the rest of her life. We hadn't even gone out yet or even figured out what we wanted from each other but she defiantly said the rest of her life. She realised her mistake and blushed even more that her face was nearly the same colour as her hair.

Thinking I should go and comfort her I sat down next to her and wrapped my arms around her. I looked at the photo over her shoulder. She was just as cute and pretty as I remembered her when she was eleven. It looked like she inherited most of her looks from her father and her sister got her mother's.

"So which one's you're mum?" I asked softly.

"The one behind Petunia." Lily pointed. "That's my Aunt Lacy, Jemima my cousin, dad, Petunia and me." She said pointing to each person in the photo.

It was weird seeing a stationary picture. I was so used to moving photos.

"Was your aunt there today?" I asked. Surely an adult saw Petunia have a go at Lily and to think that her cousin probably saw the shouting.

"No, she fell into depression and committed suicide two years ago just after Jemima drowned." Lily frowned. "My family just seems to get smaller and smaller. Each death more terrible then the next."

"Hey your family isn't just you and your sister. Don't forget you have me, Sirius, Peter and Remus. I'm sure Sammie, Mary and Alice would hex you if they heard that you forget that they are your family." I told her wrapping her in an even bigger hug.

I watched as she flipped the photo over again to reveal the back. There was 10 numbers on the frame and a bulge in the middle hidden under the cardboard that stopped the picture from falling out.

"What's that all about?" I asked. I wasn't sure if I would get a response or not. Maybe it was personal.

"I'm not sure. I'm trying to remember what is so important about this picture. I can remember catching mum writing on it but she wouldn't tell me." Lily replied with a sigh. "I don't know if I want to know."

"Well I'm sure it isn't bad. It must be something important like maybe the 10 digits are an account number or something." I mused.

Lily gasped. "Dad told me they had set up a trust fund that they would tell us about when we came of age. In the muggle world I wouldn't have come of age until January but…"

Very carefully Lily lifted the cardboard backing off to reveal a folded piece of paper and a pair of keys that looked mistakeably like muggle car keys. We learnt about muggle cars last year in Muggle studies.

"OMG." Lily gasped. "They left me a car and a trust fund account." She paused digesting it all and then spoke again. "This makes it harder to leave my old life though. Although I can transfer the money into gallons and sickles that won't be too hard. What should I do with the car? I don't remember them leaving Petunia a car."

I listened as she thought out loud still holding onto in case she needed my support but it looked like she was doing ok and holding up strong.

"What do you mean leave your old life?" I asked.

"Well I don't want to go back to the muggle life where I don't belong. I made up my mind before Petunia kicked me out of whatever life I had left. So her words didn't really affect me." Lily explained.

"Do you know how brave you sound right now, especially compared to other muggle borns? Not many people would choose the wizarding world if they knew the muggle world was safer." I praised her.

"Well I think I'm ready, I'm ready to fight against Voldermort and his Death Eaters, I want to help make a difference I'm part of the wizarding world and I want to contribute to this war." Lily blurted out.

Who doesn't love a girl that is willing to do that? Lily is strong and it's obvious why she is in Gryffindor and why she is Head Girl.

A/N

So sorry that it's taken a while to write this chapter. I've gone back to school so my time is limited and I also had a bit of writers block starting the chapter. Thank you so much to those that have continued reading and to those that have added this story as one of their favourites. I wanted to also thank anyone who has added me as a favourite author. I hope I don't disappoint anyone.

Enjoy reading.  
SpringBabe xxx


	13. Baby Steps

Chapter 13: Baby Steps

I wasn't sure what was happening but whatever nightmares she was having they were affecting her badly and I couldn't stop them. It woke me from the pleasant dream I had been having where Lily and I were getting married. Sirius was my best man, Sammie was Lily's maid of honour, Mary and Alice Lily's bride's maids, Remus and Peter my groomsmen. The bonder was telling us to say our vows. I would say mine and then when she opened her mouth to say hers all that came out was a scream.

That startled me. Realising that the screams were actually happening in the room on the other side of the bathroom. Of course I wanted to make sure Lily was ok and bolted into her room to see that she was thrashing about, moaning and screaming.

"James, James please help me. I can't do it. JAMES!" Lily screamed kicking her blanket on the ground still asleep.

"Lily I'm here you're safe." I said softly.

"NO don't kill them. Take me instead I'm the one you want. Don't touch them. Take me instead." Lily moaned.

"Lily it's alright, it's not real it's just a nightmare." I spoke soothingly right near her ear.

It wasn't working, she couldn't hear me. I couldn't wake her up. Lily was now tangled up in her sheets and her blanket. Her red hair sticking out everywhere and covering the pillow. Then there was silence for a few minutes. Not knowing what to do, whether I should stay with Lily or go back to my room. The scream that followed the silence decided for me. She was still in the nightmare.

I guess it was just a spur of the moment, a luckily she was kicking or waving her arms about because then she would have hit me but I ended up lying on the other side of the bed holding her tight. Not letting go of her and just hugging her trying to get rid of the nightmare.

Something wasn't right as I woke up to sunlight streaming through the window and something tickling against my face. It took me a few minutes to realise where I was but I soon remembered. Taking comfort in the fact that Lily was now sleeping peacefully I figured that the nightmare eventually went away.

* * *

Something wasn't right when I woke up. Not only were the sheets twisted around me but someone was lying next to me and holding onto me. For an few seconds I thought that I was tied up to a tree by death eaters about to watch my parents and everyone I knew die in front of me.

I pushed away from whoever was holding me, to push myself of my bed and onto the floor only to find that James was the one lying in my bed his arms wrapped around me.

"Whoa sorry Lily, if I knew you were going to react like that I would have left sooner." James exclaimed leaning over the bed and offering me his hand to help me up.

"Why were you in my bed?" I managed to ask slightly croaky.

"Well you were having a nightmare last night and you were screaming and thrashing around all over the place. At the time it seemed like a good idea to comfort you like until you fell asleep but I must have fallen asleep hugging you." James explained.

I didn't know what to think. I could remember clearly what my nightmare was about it felt so real and it explained why my blankets were all twisted. I wasn't sure how to react to James sleeping right next to me. "Right well, if you don't mind, could you please leave I want to get changed." Ok so that wasn't the nicest thing to say. After all he did help me sleep a little bit better.

James left shutting the door behind him. Sitting back on the bed I went through the dream trying to remind myself that it was only a nightmare, it wasn't real.

First I was held by two Death Eaters and then tied up to a tree covered in snow, tightly by thick ropes that were cutting into my skin. Then Sam, Avery, Regulus Black and Snape all advanced on me and started to mock me, pulling my hair, pinching my cheek, spitting in my face. Next came about four more Death Eaters holding onto my parents their wands across their throats. I was screaming that they would save them, beginning them too. Begging Sam, Avery, and Snape to stop. I felt so helpless tied to a tree surrounded by Death Eaters and people who hate me. I heard a laugh from above me, and sitting high in the tree on a branch was Voldermort himself. His pale face and dark eyes looking down on everything above. Barking out orders. Two flashes of green lights and my parent's bodies flopped limply to the snow. I could hear the others calling out for me, looking for me but they couldn't hear me. I had been silenced no matter how loud I screamed no one could hear anything I said. No one would be able to find me either. I tried screaming out for James, but he didn't come. Voldermort had jumped down from his spot in the tree and turned to look at me. Taunting me offering me a chance to live.

His wand was pointed at me I could see my life starting to fade as he pronounced the killing spell. No one survives the killing spell once they were hit by it. Out of nowhere though a stag came charging from the deepest part of the forest, taking a stand in-between Voldermort and I. Its silvery white coat stood out as brighter than the snow and then flash it was dead before I could take any time to observe the noble creature. I don't remember anything after that. Just that I was trying to break free from the ropes as they dug into my skin more.

Slowly I got ready to head down to breakfast, realising that James didn't wait for me. Not that I would expect him to. I wasn't exactly polite to him when I woke up and the fact that it was taking me so long to get dressed. He probably thought that I drowned myself in the shower.

* * *

I have to hand it to her she has a way of acting like nothing happens. She did a good job of pretending that she never duelled Avery and Regulus, I wouldn't have found out if Sirius and Remus didn't cave and tell me what happened after I threated not to speak to them. She didn't tell me what happened between her and Sam either and I'm sure she wasn't planning on telling anyone about last night or show that she was upset.

The day passed like a normal day, or relative normal day since Sirius didn't blow up his cauldron in potions or get caught kissing anyone in a broom closet (not that he's done that all year. Although he did kiss Lily). Peter managed to non-verbally transfigure his chicken into a feather duster. Even if it seemed like she was fine I watched Lily all day ready to interfere if she looked ready to break. Sirius and Remus finally realised something had happened during transfiguration when I didn't even bother to try and master the spell. I think even Lily knew I was watching her as she blushed a few times.

"Why don't you just ask her out mate, you know she likes you? You like her, why do you have to make it so bloody difficult and keep delaying it?" Remus asked.

"Huh?" I asked taking my eyes of Lily's hair for a second to turn to Remus. "Did you say something?"

Remus muttered something along the lines of unbelievable while Sirius snickered. Since neither of them were going to say anything I focused back on Lily.

"Prongs you have a chance now mate, just bloody ask her out already instead of constantly staring at her from a distance. That's starting to look creepy. Sirius said exchanging a glance with Peter and Remus who nodded in agreement.

"I don't know, after everything that has happened it just isn't the right time. Besides I think that Sam must have hurt her pretty bad and messed up her emotions slightly. Not to mention that her parents died a week after that. I should probably wait a bit longer." I replied still watching Lily.

"Now that you mention Sam. I've been thinking that we really need to back at him. Think of all the other girls he could be sucking in. Luckily Lily is strong willed and strong enough to stand up to him but others aren't and he deserves to get what's coming. So Prongs please go out with Lily so we can get back to pranking again. It's been nearly four months and the schools been boring without anything. This is the longest we've gone without playing a single prank." Sirius whined.

"Hear, hear." Peter agreed and even Remus nodded his head to something Sirius said. Something I didn't think was possible.

"Hey Remus." Lily said appearing from behind us. I hope she didn't hear anything we just said but even if she did she gave no indication that she had heard anything. "Just letting you know that I'll be doing Amy's rounds tonight since she's in the hospital wing."

"Hey, but that means that I'll be doing rounds with Amy." I pouted upset that I still didn't have a chance to patrol with Lily yet. That was when I was planning to ask her out.

"Yeah sorry but no one else can do it tonight so I'm stuck with it. Don't worry I'm sure you'll get along great with her." Lily smirked before leaving knowing the history I had with her.

It wasn't my fault I didn't know that she wanted more than just a one night relationship. She made it pretty clear one day with her little tantrum outside the Herbology greenhouse when I was caught kissing Salomi Cruise a few days later.

"Well I'll see you later." She said and walked away with Mary and Sammie.

Lily and Remus started their rounds when Sirius and I started Quiditch practise. I was not looking forward to this since it means seeing Sam and now that I know what he did, it's taken me a lot of restraint not to go right up to him and punch him in the face.

Quiditch practise was a disaster, Sirius was only hitting the bludgers towards Sam, he always has done that but tonight's practise was worse. Sam started a fight with Hayley, Hayley shouted at Kylie who was yelling at Sam. Mud was thrown everywhere and I had to end practise early so we could all get clean and up into the castle before the curfew. Basically at this given moment Sirius and I were the only two on the team getting on. There goes the cup.

Lily was sitting in our common room trust fund and car keys in each hand looking at them like they were going to jump up and do something. From what I had interpreted she had been left a fair bit of money and from what Sirius had told me, her house was magnificent.

"How were your rounds?" I asked from the stairs. All I wanted to do was forget the training and go straight to sleep.

"Not too bad, Remus and I got talking about stuff. You came up a fair bit." Lily said looking at me. "How was practise you look tired maybe you should get some sleep."

Not answering her I mumbled yes mum under my sleep and said goodnight before going up to my room.

I was about to climb into bed when I caught Lily standing in the doorway out the corner of my eye.

I hoped she didn't see me jump but judging by her smirk she did. "Look I never thanked you for what you did for me last night. I was just scared this morning that you might have taken advantage of me." I was about to protest but she continued. "I know you're not that type of person but that's what I was dreaming about. It was Sam, Snape, Avery and Sirius' brother all taking turns."

"Lily you just have to remember that it never happened. It was only a nightmare." I told her.

"Yeah I know that before I go to sleep but when I'm asleep it seems so real. Anyway could I maybe sleep in here tonight with you? I don't want to see the nightmares again and you stopped me having them last night maybe you can stop me seeing them tonight." She said twisting her top awkwardly in her fingers. I guess she was nervous asking to sleep with me.

"Sure come in, this bed's big enough for the both of us." I told her and lifted up the covers for her.

* * *

"How did you sleep?" James asked me.

"Great, thanks to you. No nightmares only perfect dreams." I replied. I wasn't going to tell him the dreams they're way to embarrassing.

"Good, I'm glad I can help." He told me flashing me one of his perfect smiles.

I didn't want to leave. I was really comfortable in his bed lying against his chest.

"Lily do you want to get ready?" He asked.

"That can wait. I want to ask you something." I told him getting his attention. "Well, we've become really good friends and we both know that we like each other. Are we going to go out at all or just stay like this?"

James wasn't sure how to answer judging by the puzzled look on his face.

I continued for him. "Cause I want something more and I want that something more to be with you." I said slowly.

James smiled and looked like he was about to say something but I wanted to beat him to it, why should he take the credit for it. "James Potter will you go out with me?"

James' jaw dropped with shock. After all the years that he had been asking me out and announcing that he was in love with me I was asking him back. Horrible thoughts drifted into my head. Why was it taking him so long to say yes? Was he going to reject me like I rejected him to show me what it feels like?

He jumped out of the bed and pulled me to me feet to join him in. Away from the warmth of his bed to the cold floor.

"Lily Evans I never thought I would here the day when you would ask me out." James grinned. "Never did I dream that the girl that always rejected me would ask me out. Of course I'll go out with you."

Everyone was surprised when the two heads of the school showed up with only ten minutes of breakfast left. Everyone was more surprised to see that James and I were holding hands. Sirius wolf whistled and started a cheer that spread around the whole hall.

"Finally." Remus exclaimed. "I was beginning to think that you two would never get together even if you knew you liked each other."

"So now that you've asked out Lily and she's finally said yes we can prank Deran now." Sirius said excitedly.

I cut in with a hem hem and looked at James. Sirius thought that I was going to stop him from pranking and started up a defence when I only wanted to correct him. "I don't care if you prank Deran or not as long as you don't go overboard and I'm not responsible for any detentions. I just want to set the record straight. I asked James out and he said yes."

Sirius' jaw dropped just like James' did and everyone else looked just as shocked. James' nod of confirmation made jaws drop even more. For some reason I wanted that to be the whole hall's reaction so I stood up and made my voice louder.

"Just to clear this up for everyone, I asked James Potter out this morning and he said yes." My voice boomed over the now silent hall. Even the teachers were staring at me with disbelief.

Cutlery hit plates and as everyone stared at me. I was doing a very unLilyish thing standing up and addressing the hall like this. James stood up and put his arms around me.

"That's right. After six years of asking, the tables have been turned and I've been asked." James added pulling me into our first kiss.

Right in front of all the Professors'. When we pulled away I looked around the room. Most of the boys looked murderous. Snape was sending James daggers. None of the professor's knew what to do. Public displays of affection like what we just showed weren't allowed yet Sprout and Flitwick were smiling happily at us. Slughorn was clapping. Dumbledore had a twinkle in his eye that he has whenever something pleases him and McGonagall's lips twitched up at the corner. Anyone who hadn't been stunned were now. Anyone who thought it was a joke was now having second thoughts and I didn't care that everyone was staring at me; I was the golden girl of the school that never did anything that broke the tiniest rule. Well I broke my first rule in front of everyone and it didn't look like I was going to be punished. There was one more rule I wanted to break though. I wanted to get back at Sam for what he did to me and the other girls that were bought into his bullshit. To do that I was going to have to join forces with Sirius and James to plan a prank on him otherwise I'll just have to settle for jinxing him in the corridors.

* * *

**A/N  
I'm sorry it's taken awhile but I hope this chapter is alright. Yay! Lily and James are now together. It's about time I guess since they both admitted that they liked each other a few chapters back. Not a big plot line there but there will be a surprise in a few chapters time depending on how the story goes. To my faithful readers hope you are all still enjoying and any sugestions would be greatly appreciated. **

**SpringBabe xoxoxo**


	14. Revenge is Sweet

Chapter 14: Revenge is Sweet

I was all for smashing the living day lights out of Sam but Sirius and Lily wanted a more creative approach. Normally Sirius and I would argue for hours on who to prank and how we were going to prank them. It was Remus we turned to for help and instructions of how to do it. He was also the one who sorted any dangerous arguments since Peter was no help at picking sides. Peter would always um and ahh about whatever we were disagreeing about seeing as he never wanted to choose between Sirius or I thinking that having two best friends was better than having one if the arguments ever got out of hand not that they ever did.

This time after some unspoken agreement Sirius and I decided that whatever Lily wanted would be what would happen.

"So we need to let everyone know what a bastard he is but without him knowing." Lily concluded.

To make sure that we weren't overheard by Sam or his friends Lily decided that our common room was a safe place to discuss and Peter, Remus, Sirius and I were trying to help her come up with a brilliant way to show the real Sam Deran. It was disgraceful enough to know that he was a Gryffindor and that people thought that Sirius was the Hogwarts player when I knew that the furthest he has gotten with any girl is snogging.

"Well I think the only way for him to get serve punishment is for a teacher or something to catch him in the act. But Lily you should also try going to a teacher. One that isn't influenced by the governors." Remus added.

"I'll go to McGonagall when you have Quiditch practise tomorrow, that way Sam won't be around." Lily replied. "But I still think he deserves something else. James can't you kick him off the team?"

"I can try but I still need to go to McGonagall and have a good reason for him to be off the team. If we can show that he did what he did to you Lily and the other girls than we might have a chance." I told them.

"Why don't we ask the other girls that Sam hurt help us, we could put up a notice like we did when you wanted to let everyone know that Li…" Peter started to say but then stopped from my glares. I didn't think that Lily knew about that.

"Yeah but even if we do that someone could still tell him what's going on but from what Peter was saying there is someone who can lure him in." Lily said waiting for our reactions.

"Who could do that though?" Peter and I asked. Although Sirius and Remus looked like they knew.

"Sammie." Lily and Sirius stated.

"That makes sense she has a way of getting any guy she wants." I agreed and Peter nodded half-heartedly.

I knew what he was thinking; he wanted to be the guy that she wanted. Then again most guys did. Most guys were for a week tops before she moved on. She wasn't classified as a slut, but she was known to break hearts when anyone started to have feelings for her. That was what happened between her and Sirius anyway.

"But I like Peter's idea anyway, if we can find a way to get the girls that have been hurt by Sam in the past we might be able to get some ideas of what he's done" Lily told us.

Peter looked happier knowing that he had come up with a good idea in front of Lily.

"Ok we can take care of that, we'll get a notice up in the common rooms and have a way to prevent Sam from seeing it." Sirius said. "You can tell McGonagall and make sure you're around someone at all times. When he finds out what's happening he won't be happy."

Lily nodded and watched as the Sirius Peter and Remus left. Leaving the two of us alone for a snug night by the fire.

* * *

The nights after dinner were peaceful when we didn't have rounds or when James didn't have Quiditch practise. Normally our friends would leave us alone but there was always the occasional nights where Sirius would come bounding into our common room with a great prank idea. I can't believe I actually thought they had stopped with pranking but now that I think about it I enjoy seeing people in the Great Hall suddenly change colour or transfigure into something completely different. I was surprised that they hadn't pranked Sam yet but I just guessed that he was being saved for whatever we planned to come back at him with.

It was on these nights where James and I could snuggle up to each other in that we really got to know about each other.

I always believed that James was an only child in his family and only found out that Sirius lived with him for a few summers. I didn't know that he had any other living relatives.

"Yeah Michaela is the youngest. She would have graduated five years ago now. You might know her. She was a Hufflepuff prefect. She's married now, got married during my owls so I couldn't go to the wedding. Danni got to go through." James told me.

I had heard this Danni come up a few times now; I can remember James and Sirius mentioning her at the end of last year a few times. I guess there are always some ex-girlfriends that you just don't get over. It was like a completely new side of James. I had never heard him mention his family before and I liked hearing about them now. It showed how sensitive and kind he is.

"I think I've heard of her, she's not Michaela Saint is she?" I asked picturing her face.

"That's her although it's now Greetch. She moved to America just after she got married but she's coming home to stay just before Christmas." James told me excitedly.

"Are you really close with your family?" I asked him. I was never really close to any of my family apart from Petunia but that was only until we were 11 and there was also my parents but they fall under a different category.

"I see them every Christmas and at our annual New Year's party and once or twice during summer but I'm at school most of the time. Plus Michalea is living overseas, Timothy he hates to be called Tim for some strange reason has long trips into Europe and Taliha is an unspeakable at the Ministry so she works all hours and we never really know what she does. Dad's sister's family was killed at the beginning of the war so I only ever see Mum's side of the family." James said heavily.

"James I'm so sorry I didn't mean to bring it up." I replied. I really hated knowing how many families had died during this war and it made conversations really awkward whenever someone mentioned that a family member had been murdered.

"It's alright I've had over seven years to get it into my head. It's just sad to know that so many families have lost their lives because of this war and no one can stop it." James said sadly pulling me in tighter as I nodded.

More silence, that's what happens these days whenever the war is mentioned or someone, brings up deceased family or friends.

"James what do you think will happen to us when we leave school?" I asked him.

"I don't know, as long as I'm with you it doesn't matter." James replied.

"Same I don't know what I would do if I didn't have you." I told him looking up into his eyes.

Let's just say that the rest of the night got a bit heated. Nothing to drastic just a lot of snogging.

* * *

They were doing it they were getting back at him for what he did to Lily and the rest of us. Of course they thought Lily was the only one in the group that had been hurt by him. I had too I just couldn't speak up like her. She was the only girl that wasn't bought off. If I had off known that he hadn't changed than I would have warned her, it was just that what happened between me and him happened in 4th year. He had just turned 14 and we got talking one night.

I felt like I could trust him, I blurted out my secrets, my life story. How my mum passed away, my dad remarrying, Lauren and kept like prisoners. He was great at listening and told me he liked me. We kept it secret, no one in the school knew that we were going out and I liked it like that. I felt rebellious like I was doing something wrong, sneaking around snogging in broom closets. I thought that I meant something to him. The days we spent in Hogsmeade and he would buy stuff for me, really expensive stuff didn't mean anything to him. It was just his dad's gold he could always get more. It was my body he wanted.

He was only 14, we both were neither of us should have wanted to go that far. I didn't though, I wanted to depend on him and he wanted me to give in to him. I was his first victim and I was sucked in by his charm, all he wanted was one thing from me and he got it.

I wanted to tell someone go straight to McGonagall but he threatened me with the only thing I had. I knew he would do it as well and I couldn't put Lauren in that amount of danger, not after what happened. But now, now that they were getting back at him I could speak up, at least tell James and the others what he did to me. They would be able to help me protect Lauren from him; she's all I have left and I won't let her get hurt.

* * *

Peter and Sirius got the notice up within a week, they put them up in the Gryffindor common room while Lily and I put them up in the other house common rooms. Hopefully only the girls would be able to see it because we weren't sure who Sam talked to.

By the end of the night we had enough girls interested in telling us what had happened and wanted to be part of the group that got revenge. Sirius, Peter, Remus and I just wanted someone to prank and also to show the school what a jerk he was. He wasn't going to be able to get away with it for much longer.

I had asked McGonagall if I was allowed to borrow her class room for the night coming up with a story about how Lily thought it would be a good idea for me to tutor some of the students that were having trouble in Transfiguration. Surprisingly she bought it, although she did take her time saying yes. I'm sure that I would take my time considering it if someone who caused as much trouble that I used to, can up to me and ask to borrow a classroom for a tutoring session. I think the only thing that won McGonagall over was the mention of Lily and the fact that I was doing a decent job as a Head Boy.

At quarter to eight Lily, Sirius and I headed to McGonagall's classroom to be ready for the girls, Peter and Remus who were going to come at eight. At quarter past eight there were 10 girls not including Lily who had been hurt by Sam. Three Hufflepuff's, two Slytheirns, one Ravenclaw and four Gryffindor's. We were going through the girls and hearing what horrible things that Sam had done to them, all the stories were fairly similar, he bought them expensive gifts then tried to have sex, in a broom closet. Some of the girls he actually managed to rape, one or two of them actually wanted to have sex with him only to feel used the next day. We were almost up to Lily when the door opened.

Prepared for McGonagall to come check on us, ready to hex Sam in case someone had told him and he was coming to threaten the girls. We weren't prepared to see Mary quietly closing the door behind her.

* * *

I drew my breath in I didn't know what she was doing here, but I knew it wasn't because she was interested in what we were doing; she wanted to tell her story. Sam hurt her and she didn't warn me. Sammie did, Alice didn't know but Mary she didn't do anything.

James, Sirius, Remus and Peter watched as she conjured a seat before sitting down. I didn't want to look at her worried that she would catch my eye and see how upset I was. Right now I was furious with her, if she told me, just told me what happened then I would have reconsidered my decision about going out with Sam. I probably would have chosen James. God I felt like an idiot not choosing James now. Now that I knew who the real James Potter is and have seen his sweet sensitive side.

It came around to Mary's turn to tell her story. I didn't want to hear it. She didn't tell me before and now it was too late.

"Lily I'm so sorry, I just couldn't tell you. I actually thought that he had changed." She said sympathetic.

I looked at her and nodded for her to speak. I hadn't forgiven her yet.

"Well we got talking one night. I felt that he was the first guy to ever notice me and felt appricated by someone." Mary started.

I saw James, Sirius and Remus gulp. I knew they hardly noticed her since halfway through last year when she stepped in to stop the bullying against Lauren. That was the first time she had made herself noticed by the whole school.

"I told him everything about me, I was naive thinking that he would like me for who I was when we had only just met. He suggested the idea of dating me, telling me how beautiful I was. I got sucked in by his charm and his compliments. He made me feel special and soon we were dating but no one knew. At the time I thought it was romantic and I liked it that way. I wouldn't have to put up with all the dramas of girls who liked him hating me, not that they noticed me beforehand. Now though I just realised he didn't want anyone to know, this was easier for him to be in another relationship and push me off as the one at fault. I felt important to him knowing that I was sneaking all over the school for him or the day we spent in Hogsmeade and he bought me all this expensive stuff. It was only his dad's gold he could always get more. I thought he wanted me turns out it was only my body he wanted and I let him believing that we would become more romantic. I wanted to go to McGonagall as soon as he ditched me the night after. He threatened me that night with all that I had so I had to keep quiet and hope that no one else would get sucked in?" Mary finished a few tears falling.

"When did this happen?" One of the girls asked.

"Before the Christmas holidays 3 years ago." Mary choked.

I held back a gasp. From the stories that we had heard they began two years ago, Mary was the first to go through this and I was the last. I was going to be the last no one else would go through what I went through. What any of these girls went through. We're coming for you Sam Deran. Your time is up.

* * *

We'll we had heard from all the girls, and Lily suggested the idea of somehow projecting memories up on the wall of the Great Hall. Some of the girls were hesitant. Mary especially obviously what these girls had been threatened with was big. In the end they all agreed as long as Sam was going down for this.

Lily was happy with that, Sam would get his punishment through that, and we still wanted to use Sammie if she was interested. Hopefully the way we wanted it planned Sammie would be 'seeing' him at the time the memories were revealed. We had told her to act furious and cause a fight, something that the rest of us would join in to. I wanted to embarrass him more so did Sirius and so did Peter. Remus like always wasn't sure but I knew he would still go along with it and come up with the best ideas. As long as all the professor's saw, especially McGonagall and Dumbledore Sam would get what he deserves.

* * *

"It's done." I told them all.

The whole gang was in our room, well that's what I refer to them as now it's far too hard and takes too much time to name Sirius, Remus, Peter, Sammie, Mary, Alice and James. Silvia was also with us since I needed her help with some of the interpretations in the spell.

"Sammie if this works we won't need you at all unless you want to?" I told her.

"I can still do my bit; I want to help make sure that other girls don't fall for his charm like you did." Sammie replied.

Only the Marauders and I knew that Mary was also hurt by Sam.

"Well we've got the memories, we just need to work out when we're going to do this. Sammie if you can 'go out' with Deran by Lily and my patrol next week we'll put everything into place the night we patrol around the Great Hall." James said.

"Great we'll I'm going to put my part of the plan into action right now." Sammie smirked standing up and leaving.

Alice who still wasn't comfortable in the same room as Sirius left with Silvia to go to the library. Since the others didn't seem to be leaving anytime soon, I grabbed my homework hoping that they would get the picture that nothing else was going to happen.

"So Mary, I'm sorry if I'm pushing the boundaries but are you quiet and go unnoticed because of Sam or because of your step mum?" Remus asked curious.

After the night where we talked to all the girls and they gave us some of their worst memories of Sam, Mary and I had a deep conversation. She told me exactly why she was like she is and that the only thing that kept her going was Lauren. She had accepted that her father wasn't coming back and that she was probably going to be alone but since Sam she couldn't bring herself to trust another guy again.

Mary didn't look at all surprised by this question. I think that once James and I joined our two groups together she spoke to them a lot more. She didn't realise that she was still noticed even if she hid from basically everyone. After both her step mum and Sam her trust in everyone left, I don't know if she even trusts the Marauder's now.

"I try not to be like this for Lauren but after both my step mum and Sam I can't get hurt again. They both ruined my trust. When I came to Hogwarts I was lucky that I found four great friends in my roommates and that we became friends before the whole Sam incident otherwise I would have had no one." Mary explained.

I'm sure that they all understood Mary a bit more once she explained that it was only because of Lauren that she was still here, what really hurt me is that she nearly fell into a serious case of depression. Only I had seen the scares on her wrist, and that was the other night. She cut her wrists for two years and only stopped last year when she found a potion that would ease her pain.

* * *

We'll he's agreed to go to Hogsmeade with me this weekend." Sammie whispered having to lean over her desk in charms.

"Miss Delsento is there a problem?" Flitwick asked. Her movements hadn't gone astray.

"No, sir I was just asking James if he had a quill I could borrow, you see mine just isn't working for me today." Sammie replied innocently batting her eyelashes.

"I see and Miss Evans couldn't provide you with a spare quill, I'm sure that would have caused less of a disruption." Flitwick questioned. Nothing gets past him but normally he lets it slide.

"Well you see professor, Lily's quills are made of eagle feathers and I'm not particularly fond of eagles while James his spare quill has a hawk feather which I prefer." Sammie replied aware of the snickering.

The rest of the class may have been laughing at her but she was a popular student and a little cover up like this was easy to admire as well. That girl can come up with the best cover ups sometimes.

"Well then, now that you have a quill that suits you preferences would you be able to sit down so we can continue on with the class." Flitwick concluded also amused with her cover up and I'm sure he noticed that she also uses Eagle feathered quills as well as the fact that I never gave her one of my quills.

Sammie just smiled well aware of the lookers. I'm sure most of the guys were hoping she was still single. Something wasn't right about that. Both Sammie and Sirius who are both notoriously known for their many dates hadn't had one this whole year.

* * *

"There we go I don't think anyone is going to notice a small bowel there." Lily said.

"Hopefully Filch won't come in and clear it away thinking its mess." I mused.

"Don't worry I've already seen to that. I made sure that he had already cleaned in here before we entered." Lily replied with a smirk.

"Well aren't you a miss smarty pants thinking one step ahead of her slightly less smart boyfriend." I teased.

"Ha ha ha." Lily replied dryly. "Let's just get this done so we can finish our patrols and have some time together."

"I like you're thinking." I told her raising my wand as well and casting the spell that would project the memories onto the wall behind off to the side of the Slytherin table. "I just hope that Danni doesn't fall for a guy like Deran."

Lily lowered her wand slightly and didn't say anything. Her lips were tightly shut like they were preventing her from saying something. I didn't know why, I only mentioned Danni.

* * *

**A/N**

**So there is a new character bubbling on the surface. The mysterious Danni will be revelled in one or two chapters time. What do you think will happen? Is this prank really going to work or will Sam's rich daddy have more influence then they think? If you want I would like to know who you think Danni is, you can tell me via reviews or messages. Whatever you guess won't change the story I've been plotting her character for a while and do you think she's going to have an influence on James and Lily's relationship? That's all for now until chapter 15.  
SpringBabe. **


	15. Justice is Served

Chapter 15: Justice is Served

"Come on James, we're going to be late for breakfast and then this won't work." I snapped pulling his covers off him.

"wha time zit" James mumbled groggily.

"7:30 now get up and dressed, we have to be down in the hall when all the Professors are." I told him.

"Right ok, then." James replied.

When James finally decided he was ready for breakfast we went to the common room to find the others.

Everyone was waiting minus Sammie who had gone up to the sixth year boy's dorm to get Sam herself. Really only Remus and I were needed to put this plan into action since we were the only two who knew the spell but everyone else was coming down to see it and to make it seem like nothing was going on.

James looked determined to make Sam pay; I knew that after this he was planning to beat him up afterwards as well. I wasn't sure how I felt about that though, James could hurt him badly or get hurt.

There was something that was really bugging me though. It wasn't important but I needed to know who Danni is before our relationship goes any further. I don't want to ask him and look like the pushy girlfriend that needs to know every detail about him but if he still had feelings for his ex then I needed to know about it. Sirius was probably the perfect person to talk to about it since I can trust him, he didn't tell James about what happened between me, Avery and Regulus otherwise James would be asking if I was alright.

"Lily they're all here do you want to cast the spell?" Sirius whispered to me looking up at the staff table and down the Gryffindor table where Sammie was sitting on Sam's lap feeding him bits of food. Damn she's good.

I watched as Sammie got him a drink so she could pour in some vertiserum and cast the spell silently on the back wall.

My memory was first, 'you raped Zara didn't you, not ****' I had blocked out James' name I didn't want him to think that I had believed his lying cheating mouth for a second. 'How could you be so heartless?' Everyone turned around to find the source of the sound coming from. I saw Sam turn ghostly white and I smiled sweetly at him. 'You know what I've tried playing nice with you but one way or another I'm getting in your pants and since you don't want to play nice.' I watched the memory Sam grab my arm and twist it.

It changed memories next it was Mary. I saw Alice and Sammie stare at Mary with shock as she appeared on the wall.

"You never told us." Alice gushed while Sammie looked ready to punch Sam's face in.

Like we had planned she was not sitting on his lap any more but standing up behind him and watching the memories.

'If you don't do this for me, your sister will be thrown off the astronomy tower.' A younger Sam said menacingly. The Mary on the scream was in tears and hesitantly started to unzip her fly down just as Sam did.

Then it was Emily Adders memory, hers went from a nice day in Hogsmeade to losing her virginity in a side street behind the Three Broomsticks. 'I thought you liked me.' Emily on the wall sobbed. 'You don't care at me at all do you? You won't even look at me.' The Sam on the wall did nothing but sneer. 'You can't tell anyone about this.' Sam said holding out a bag full of gallons.

There were more memories but Sammie looked like it was enough to start something so I froze the memories on Sam's sneer and the money he was holding out to Emily.

"You bastard. You hurt my friends. You paid them off. Were you going to do this to me?" Sammie screamed like we planned.

Sam looked frightened, I had never seen him look so mad but every single girl that told us their story was standing up plus many more. Even a few boys were standing up looking at Sam pounding their fists into their hands.

Sam looked like he was trying to lie but he'd had something to drink. The vertiserum was working. "Yes." He choked out.

"I think that is enough. Mr Deran you will be seeing Professor McGonagall and myself once breakfast is over in her office." Dumbledore spoke. It wasn't harshly but it wasn't kind either. I wanted to dance around but it was too early I just hoped that Sam wouldn't be able to get back at the girls that showed their memories especially Mary, he sounded legit when he threatened her with Lauren.

* * *

Transfiguration was next but McGonagall wasn't in the classroom by the time we got there. Still talking punishments with Deran I guess. I was ecstatic to know that he wasn't going to get away with what he's done. I just hope that the teachers managed to question him while the vertiserum was still in his body.

Flitwick entered the room, looks like we had him for the time being. I liked Flitwick he wasn't as strict as McGonagall I almost wish he was the head of Gryffindor house instead.

"For now just go over what you were learning last lesson, Professor McGonagall will be here shortly once the situation with Mr Deran is sorted out." Flitwick announced.

"Will he be expelled?" Marnie Jacobs asked hopefully.

"Normally yes, but it depends on how extent this situation is. No one gets away with rape outside of school ." Flitwick responded.

"What do you mean normally?" Mary asked quietly worry etched over her face.

Of course Mr Deran was probably interfering with McGonagall's and Dumbledore's decisions, I forgot all about him. I caught Lily's eye and she gave me a nervous reply.

"Don't worry Mary I can assure you that your sister will be safe." Flitwick said attempting to cheer her up.

* * *

"Hey Sirius." I heard Lily call out behind me.

"Lily." I told her hoping she had found out who my mystery girl is.

"Sirius can I ask you something?" She asked.

Well then she hadn't found my mystery girl this was going to be a question about James.

"How close is James to Danni?" Her question startled me. I wasn't expecting something so easily.

"Danni and James are really close; you'd expect them to be. I remember last year on New Year's Eve, James chose to go spend time with Danni over dancing with Abigail." I told her.

"Oh," Lily said slightly upset with the answer she got and walked away.

"Wait Lily I need to ask you something." I called out to her.

"What do you needed to ask me?" She replied turning around.

"I just wanted to know if you know who my mystery girl is. I didn't want to ask sooner because of Sam and your parents funeral but.." Lily interjected me.

"Look Sirius I want to tell you but she begged me not to say," Lily said sadly. "I wish she would because I don't think she realises what she's missing." and she walked off.

Great so Lily knew but she wasn't going to tell me who. Just what I needed but she did compliment me in a way. Telling me that this girl didn't realise what she's missing. That must mean that Lily likes me now. Besides if Lily was begged not to say then that must mean it's one of her friends I just have to go through the girls that I've kissed because I know it's not Silvia or Sammie so it could be either Mary or Alice. Although Lily is pretty popular she could be begged not to say anything by anyone.

"Hey Sirius." Someone else called out.

"What" I snapped turning around to see Sammie.

"Whoa ok I'll talk to you later than." She said slightly hurt by my tone.

"No it's alright I was just angry at someone, what's up?" I asked her.

"Well, it's just that we're really good friends again and I think we made a mistake breaking up. I know that we both haven't seen anyone this year because you've been a great friend to James helping him with Lily and I've also been helping Lily and James. I've noticed that I want what they have and I think I can get that from you." She said really fast. I could barely make out the words. Luckily I've known her long enough to be able to listen quickly.

"So you're pretty much saying that you want to go out with me because you want what James and Lily have, because we're great friends. Forgetting that we didn't break up, you choose someone better." I told her making sense of it out loud to see her reaction.

"Yes."

"I'm sorry Sammie but when you dumped me it took me a while to get over you and we've become even better friends because of it I don't want to go through all that again." I told her trying to let her down gently. "Besides I'm looking for someone else."

"But I'm that someone else." She begged and I raised an eyebrow. "I'm your mystery girl. I'm the girl you nearly slept with at the end of year party back in 5th year. I left before you woke up because I was with Jason at the time and I didn't want to break his heart. I thought it would be better if no one knew but each day I regret not telling you because I should have stayed and gotten back together with you actually I made a mistake dumping you." Sammie explained.

I stared at her for what felt like a few minutes. I thought the girl that night had rounder eyes, but Sammie had explained everything that happened that night with detail that I had to be her I must have made up the eyes. Sammie is extremely beautiful why wouldn't it be her.

"You know what, maybe we should try again." I told her and she pushed me up against the wall and kissed me.

There was no spark. Not like that night but maybe I was just overly drunk and imagined everything about her.

* * *

I was shocked to see that Sam was sitting at the Gryffindor table during dinner. He was looking really smug about it either. Nobody was sitting with him though I don't think anyone wanted anything to do with him. Even his friends they had been through it all and I think seeing that one of their girlfriends was hurt by Sam was an eye opener for them to all the things he's done.

I honestly thought he was going to be expelled, in the outside world it was Azkaban for rapists and Sam was now 17 if this went to hearing he could get charged on an adults sentence. Luckily for him he was still in school and it didn't look like he would be leaving. Then the doors burst open to revel the 12 governors of the school. Mr Deran leading the pack storming up to the Professor's table.

There was no way Mr Deran could try and weasel his son out of this, he had not harmlessly pranked students, he had actually raped students and abused them. The students that hex each other get detentions and if Sam gets off with nothing more than a detention I and a lot of other girls will still be out for revenge. He deserved to be expelled.

"What is the meaning of this, you are threatening to expel my son because he has too much of a sexual life." Mr Deran boomed.

"Excuse me Mr Deran but I do not tolerate you storming into the Great Hall while all the students are having dinner shouting about your son. I know I invited you and the other governors about your son but I did not invite you to disturb the other students." Dumbledore told him calmly.

"Well if you're going to punish my son then I think you better punish those that exposed him. How do you know that they didn't make it up?" Mr Deran shouted. Not bothering to listen to Dumbledore's word.

James stood up and cleared his throat to get Mr Deran's attention. Sam looked even happier at this.

"James sit down." I moaned, he was about to get in more trouble than he bargained for.

"Excuse me sir, but your son has raped quite a few girls and threatened each girl to keep quiet by buying them off. One of the girls, the very first girl he raped when he was 14 he had to threaten to keep quiet otherwise he would throw her sister off the astronomy tower." James spoke looking taller than he actually was.

"You're saying he was 14, what 14 year really means that he would throw a young girl of the astronomy tower? What's your name son?" Mr Deran asked menacingly.

"James Potter; Head Boy and Quiditch captain. Two things that you tried to rob me of when I got into a fight with your son." James told him looking like he wasn't going to back down.

The staff looked like they wanted to take James' side and I don't think the governors were willing to take Mr Deran's side anymore.

"Ah, you're the menace that pranks innocent students and hexes them in the corridors. I'm guessing you're also the one that constantly harassed a girl to go out with you."

"He didn't harass me into dating him at all. Unlike you're son James has qualities that make a girl feel special. I'm ashamed to say that I once thought that your son was a charming guy. After what happened and I was very lucky it didn't get too serious not like the other girls here but your son should be expelled." I shouted standing up in outrage.

"And who the fuck are you?" Mr Deran asked getting angrier with each question he asked. Sam didn't look so smug right now he actually looked scared that he might be kicked out but he still wore that sneer to show that he was superior to the rest of us because his dad has connections.

"Lily Evans; Head Girl and when I find out that people are being hurt I normally try to help them. That's what the memories were all about this morning. All the girls that have been hurt by your son that wanted too came and spoke to me and a few friends about their traumatic experiences. If you want we can show you some." I told him.

"I think that might be a good idea." One of the governors said stepping out from the group she was standing with.

I went to go get the memories when I felt myself freeze and everything went black.

* * *

"Deran!" I shouted.

I watched as Lily froze up mid step and fell to the floor. Turning around I saw that Deran was putting his wand away. Not even the Slyterins thought this was funny and that was a first. Sirius ran to Deran, while Sammie, Alice, Mary, Lauren and a few other Gryffindors ran to see Lily. The staff had left their seats and were rushing down to stop the commotion. Mr Deran was standing by his son backing him up 100% while the Professor's looked furious and the governors were starting to question a lot of judgement.

"It's not a normal body binding spell." Slughorn wheezed. "I can't feel a pulse and her eyes aren't moving."

"Minevra would you please help escort Miss Evans and her friends up to the Hospital wing to Poppy. Mr Potter and Miss Hadby would you please stay behind we might need you for a statement." Dumbledore said speaking to both Mary and I.

"No need Albus I think we have all we need. The memories would be great to see but as we have the Head Girl in the hospital wing hit by a stronger case of the body binding curse and confirmation that Mr Sam Deran has done these things we have come to a decision." The governor that spoke before said.

"Confirmation what are you talking about we have not yet proven that these memories are real." Mr Deran shouted outraged. "This is a set up."

"Mr Deran your son confessed this morning to everything we saw and also admitted to meaning the threat about throwing Miss Hadby's younger sister off the astronomy tower." Dumbledore said fed up with the elder Deran.

"Admitted it more like you forced him to say it. I know you used vertiserum on him. You can't do that." Mr Deran shouted. He was doing a lot of shouting surely he realised he was fighting a lost cause.

"Not only is your son of legal age to be tested by the potion we did not use it he simply fessed up." Dumbledore replied.

"My son would never admit that, he was defiantly admitting it against his will." Mr Deran shouted. He was just making this worse. He basically said that his son did what we've been saying.

"Actually sir we did slip the potion into his drink this morning." I said quietly so only Dumbledore, Mr Deran and the governors could hear.

"You see guilty as charged." Mr Deran yelled pointing at me. "Obviously he stole it."

"No actually he didn't I gave them some." Slughorn lied for us. "Although I tell them to use it. Mr Potter wanted to examine it to see what qualities it had. I assumed both Mr Potter and Miss Evans were going to examine it, although I have to say this was the perfect time to examine it."

I never really liked him but I couldn't believe he was helping us out of this by lying for us.

"I think we should just end this now before we have more students in the hospital wing." Another governor said eying Mr Deran's wand pointed at me. Flicking his wand the governor conjured a piece of parchment. "Mr Sam Deran, because of your actions you have been expelled from Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Your wand will need to be submitted to the ministry when you are sentenced to a hearing. Failure to do this could lead to a sentence to Azkaban on top of any sentence you may receive at the hearing which could also be a sentence in Azkaban."

It was funny to watch as Deran and his father were escorted by the elven governors and Dumbledore to the front gate. The rest of the Great Hall cheered as they followed the group out to the grounds and we watched as they disappeared behind the gates of the school.

Once we saw them all disappear Mary and I ran up the hospital wing to find that Lily was sleeping. She wasn't unconscious anymore but once the spell was removed she was found in a sleeping state.

"What happened about Deran?" Sirius asked.

"He's been expelled and will be sentenced to a hearing." Mary grinned the happiest I've seen her.

They all cheered for a short second until a shush came from Madam Pomfrey who also grinned. "The amount of times I had girls come up hear asking for a cream to get rid of bruises when they said they fell, I'm sure most of them had to do with that Deran kid."

Well he was gone now; no one would have to feel afraid anymore.

"James I hate to say this but we didn't think of the timing. We play Hufflepuff the week before school finishes in just over a week and now we're missing a beater." Sirius said.

"Oh crap but we should be able to find a new beater, before Deran was picked who was it that came to tryouts?"

"It was all the 7th years from last year, we didn't have any tryouts for this year." Sirius reminded me.

"Right we'll we are going to need to find a beater then and our next training's tomorrow." I moaned.

"I could always do it." Lily said sitting up.

We all looked at her. None of us had ever seen her fly before since first year.

"I'm not great but I can fly. I could do it temporarily until you find someone. I know how good Sirius is so all you need is someone to fill the space." Lily said.

"I guess, can you fly while holding a beater's bat and aiming at the bludgers?" I asked I didn't want to sound sceptical but I had too. Our team was shocking last year and I didn't want it to be the same this year.

"You don't think I can do you?" Lily asked slightly hurt that I doubted her. Something was off with her since the night before.

Too be honest I didn't think she could, she wasn't a quiditch player she hadn't flown a broom since first year and she just didn't have the build for a beater. "I…"

"She can fly well, the times that she was over my house she borrowed Michael's broom and flew rings around Courtney." Sammie said out of the blue.

"Ok, before practise tomorrow we'll go down to the pitch and see what you can do." I told her.

* * *

**A/N **

**So Sam's been expelled the mysterious Danni has been brought up again, Sammie and Sirius are going out but Sammie told him she's the one when Alice was his mystery girl. Lily thinks James still has feelings for Danni and believes she's his ex. Lily wants to play Quiditch and James isn't sure how good she is.  
There you go I've basically summed up the whole chapter in three lines but please read the chapter.  
SpringBabe. **


	16. Secrets

Chapter 16: Secrets

I don't know why I did it but Alice wasn't going to tell him so she can't be mad with me for asking Sirius out. I really made a mistake when I chose Damien back at the end of 5th year. To be honest my biggest mistake was before that and Sirius doesn't need to know. No one needs to know. I'm not sure how it happened but Lachlan Staypden was two years older than me at the time and after it happened he was too embarrassed to tell anyone that he slept with a 15 year old. I didn't want Sirius to know that I had slept with someone else so we agreed that no one would know yet we still continued at the time.

Alice was the only one who knew and she promised she wouldn't tell Sirius which was hard for her because at the time Alice and I were really good friends with the marauders. We spent more time with them then we did with Lily and Mary and she had to choose where her loyalty lay. She didn't have to choose me but she did. Lochie and I continued our little charade but it got harder and harder to talk to Sirius and I didn't want to hurt his feelings so I claimed that I liked someone else. No one besides Alice knew about Lochie, Sirius thought that I liked Damien while the rest of the school thought that Sirius and I casually and calmly broke things off.

I realised my mistake when Lochie tossed me aside towards the end of my 5th year and claimed that I was far too young to keep. Then my summer holidays between 5th and 6th year were really bad I starting drinking and getting drunk to try and forget what I did. I started hanging around with Michael and Courtney's friends. When we returned to school Sirius and I became good friends again and I thought that we could pick up where we left off, pretend that nothing happened but he was already in broom closets with other girls. I felt really guilty now that I know that he wasn't actually having sex with the girls when I had slept with a few boys just to make Sirius jealous. So he would take me back.

This time I wanted to prove to him that I wasn't going to lie or sneak around and treat him like shit, I wasn't going to break his heart this time I was going to be a genuine girlfriend.

* * *

I had to admit Lily was a decent flyer. The only problem was that she had both hands on the broom. If she was going to play beater she could only have one hand on the broom.

"Okay, here's a beater bat, fly around with it and I'll charm some soft bludgers to fly at you." I told her getting out the practise kit for first years when they learn Quiditch.

When I came back I found that Lily was still on the ground holding the bat and the broom in each hand.

"Ok, Lily you can fly up now." I told her opening the crate.

"But how am I meant to hold both the broom and the bat?" She shouted.

"Use one hand for each." I told her hoping that she'd stop before she gets hurt. I could see this ending badly and she had just come out of the hospital wing as well.

"Right ok, here goes." Lily replied unsure yet determined to do it.

After a wobbly start, Lily was up in the air holding the bat, more against her chest than in her hand but at least she was flying with the bat. I released one of the soft bludgers and charmed it up towards her. I watched as Lily flew around the bludger trying to hit it. Twice it had hit her before she could even do anything. And then the bat fell to the ground. The bludger still charmed to go after Lily.

Lily took one of her hands off the broom and whacked the bludger away with her hand before she started to glide down.

"You know you can't do that with a real bludger it'll break your hand." I told her.

"Like you'd care about that you already knew I wouldn't be able to do this." Lily replied and stormed off towards the castle.

"Lily wait, how was I supposed to know you could fly well if I haven't seen you fly since first year." I argued running after her.

It was a lot warmer once we got inside the castle I hadn't really been paying attention to how cold it was outside.

"Lily you weren't that bad." I reasoned when I caught up to her.

"Admit it, I was I can't be a beater or play Quiditch." Lily snapped. What was her problem she had been acting weird for a few days.

"That's not true you were definitely better than most of the people that come to tryouts. With a little practise you'll be there." I told her truthfully. I didn't want to lie.

"Thanks' for telling the truth." Lily smiled weakly.

"Why did you do it?" I asked her. "Why did you want to try out for beater?"

"I'm not really sure, I wanted to show you that I could do things that you could do, that way you could have a girlfriend that plays Quiditch instead of a girlfriend who spends a lot of her time on school work." She admitted. "To tell you the truth. I was hoping you'd like me even better if I was on the Quiditch team."

"Lily I couldn't care less if you played Quiditch or not. I fell in love and started harassing you in a way like Mr Deran said with the Lily that always did her school work and read ahead, I was jealous of Snape and any other guy that talked to you, that's why I always hexed them. I like the Head Girl the girl you were before Sam; you don't need to become a Quiditch player to win over my heart. You already have." I told her.

* * *

Well when he says it like that I trust him completely and believed that this Danni chick was nothing to him.

I stayed behind to watch James train the Quiditch team although I had grabbed a few more layers of clothing. When you're flying around you it doesn't feel as cold but when you're sitting in the stands watching. The air is freezing. You can't expect the middle of December to be very warm anyway.

The rest of the Quiditch team looked really good and ready to tackle Hufflepuff at the end of the week but as good as Sirius was I wasn't sure if he could pull off the act of two beaters. So far no one wanted the beater position, not that James had very hard looking, he'd only asked a few of the stronger looking Gryffindor's waiting to see how good I was. I felt bad for wasting James' time. If he wasn't watching to see how good I was then he could have maybe found someone who actually wanted to be a beater.

"Hey." Sammie greeted taking a seat next to me dressed with many layers as well.

"Hey what are you doing down here?" I asked.

"Aren't I allowed to watch my boyfriend train?" Sammie asked amused waiting for my reaction

"You what? Who? I gasped.

"The guy who's playing beater." Sammie teased pointing.

I thought for a second that she was talking about a new beater that James had somehow miraculously found but I realised that only Sirius was there.

"Sirius, seriously. Aww." I cooed.

Sirius was like the guy version of Sammie, they both hooked up with the opposite sex numerous amounts of times, and it surprised me that they broke up when they did. Obviously one of them realised that.

"Yeah I really regretted breaking up with him; we actually got on well together besides I want to be Sirius' first." Sammie smirked.

I started agreeing with her until I took it all in. "Wait what. What do you mean Sirius' first."

Sammie realised that she had said something she shouldn't have and stuttered to try and cover it up and usually she can always come up with a cover up.

"Are you saying that Sirius hasn't had sex?" I asked quietly scared that the wind would carry my voice down to the players on the pitch.

"No, I never said that." Sammie stammered but nodded when I glared at her.

"Why would he lie about that? Sure he has to be a macho man but how did he get all those girls to agree." I asked.

"He didn't. All the girls made up stuff about him and he just goes along with it. None of the girls have gone any further than tongue action and it soon became a competition of whoever got further with Sirius. I don't know who started it, but to most girls in this school Sirius is the hottest guy and to sleep with him is a blessing." Sammie explained.

"Is that how you feel, that it'll be a blessing when you sleep with Sirius?" I asked her. As much as I loved Sammie she did a lot of stuff to gain something.

"No, I just really made a mistake dumping him and I really regret it. I made a lot of bad choices Lily and knowing that Sirius and I are getting a second chance gives me faith that I can fix my choices."

* * *

"Oh James, Lily knows who Danni is right?" Sirius asked me.

"Yeah of course I've told Lily about my family." I replied.

"It's just the way that she asked me who Danni was, well actually she asked how close you were to her and it made me think that maybe she didn't know that Danni was your sister." Sirius rambled.

"Nah she definitely knows about Danni are you sure that's what she asked you?" I asked him although I was thinking back to when Lily asked me about my family. I remembered talking about my cousins and I mentioned Danni.

"I'm positive that's what she said. Oh well she seems fine now." Sirius said glancing at where Lily was sitting in the stands watching our training with Sammie.

"You did ask Lily to your place for the holidays didn't you?" Sirius asked again.

"Not yet, I want to surprise her, I'm waiting for her to mention the holidays. Are you going to be staying with us or are you going to your place?" I asked him.

When Sirius ran away to my place we accepted him as part of the family and then towards the end of last summer he got left some money from one of his uncles who was decent to him and bought a place with it. Although I think he spent more times at our place then he has at his.

"We'll while you're surprising her can you surprise the rest of us with a new beater." Sirius called over his shoulder as he walked up to the common room joined by Sammie.

I don't know if it was because of everything that had happened or that the decorations were put up a lot later this year than last year because only now did I notice the Christmas trees in the great hall or the baubles and mistletoe strung up in the corridors. Lily had grabbed my arm taking me by surprise and pulled me into a corner.

"Look above you." She whispered her lips very close to my neck.

As I glanced up I saw the unmistakable mistletoe hung above us, no wonder why Lily wanted to go into the corner just when I was imagining our first kiss under mistletoe. We both leaned in and let our lips touch. It was actually one of our best kisses. With that in mind I just had to tell her she was staying at my place over the holidays. I was too excited not to keep it a secret any longer but I didn't want to tell her in a dark corridor when anyone can walk past.

"James we have to go." Peter and Sirius urged once Lily and I got back to our room.

"What go where, you didn't tell me you were planning a prank, you told me that you wanted to ask me something when we got back to our common room." Lily said a little hurt.

"Believe me I thought we'd have more time I didn't realise how late practise went." I told her, my full attention to the outside window where Remus was being led to the Womping Willow by Madam Pomfrey. We had to go and fast.

Without saying anything to Lily Peter or Sirius I sprinted up to my room for my invisibility cloak so we could sneak onto the grounds and stay hidden until it got dark enough to transform. We had to transform before the full moon though, we didn't want someone to be looking outside the castle to see a shadow of a student turn into an animal.

"Where are you going, what aren't you telling me. I thought we were supposed to tell each other everything." Lily shouted after us as Sirius, Peter and I sprinted away.

* * *

What were they doing and why couldn't they tell me. They weren't with Remus which worried me if Remus was with them their prank wouldn't mean a huge punishment. Remus was smart enough to know when enough was enough.

I had to find him I wanted to make sure James wasn't doing anything stupid.

"Hey Mary, Sammie have you seen Remus?" I asked when I got to the Gryffindor common room.

"No, not since after DADA this afternoon, he did mention something about his mother being sick. Have you noticed how his mother is always sick so often it sort of follows a pattern and then the next day he doesn't look so concerned?" Mary asked.

Now that Sam had been expelled Mary seemed to be a lot chattier and putting herself out their more. She was answering questions in class. I guess she felt that something good was finally happening in her life.

"Wait did you say sick mother?" I asked her raising my eyebrow at her.

Mary just nodded and shrugged her shoulders going back to her Charms essay. If Remus told her his mother was sick that must mean that tonight's a full moon. No wonder why he wasn't with the others, he was probably on his way to the shrieking shack by now.

I glanced out the window to check if there was a full moon, but it was too early for that. What did surprise me was that I saw a big black shadow like some other animal, maybe a bear or a wolf stride across the grounds followed by a slightly lighter deer with antlers. It looked a lot like the stag from my nightmares. I must have been imagining things because when I looked again there was no sign of the stag or the other animal.

"Ok, do you know why your boyfriend had to whisk my boyfriend away?" I asked turning to Sammie trying to shake what I'd just seen. Or thought I'd seen.

"Boyfriend what boyfriend, you got back like 15 minutes ago and you haven't mentioned this boyfriend to me." Mary said.

"Well if you really want to know I'm now currently dating Sirius Black and no I have no idea why he left taking James with him. He wouldn't tell me." Sammie replied cooly.

"Hey guys what's up?" Alice asked bounding down the stairs that led to the girl's dormitories.

I was about to reply with my boyfriend's just decided to leave when Mary bet me to it. I swear that girl was not going to be the quiet one anymore.

"Sammie's dating Sirius Black." Mary simply stated excitingly. "Wait are you ok with it?" She asked Alice.

After all Alice was the one that Sirius was after. Sammie froze as soon as she looked at Alice waiting for her reaction. Betrayal flashed across Alice's face but it was gone as soon as it appeared so I don't think Sammie or Mary noticed.

"Sure, I just don't want to see you get hurt, although I didn't know that you still had feelings for him after what happened when you broke up." Alice said quietly so everyone else in the common room wouldn't be able to hear.

"Wait what is she talking about?" I asked. I thought that Sirius and Sammie agreed to break up because she didn't want to be like the other girls. Although now thinking back to it, there was no other girl before Sammie.

"What happened when you and Sirius broke up?" I asked feeling that the answer was going to put me in a difficult situation. Sammie was one of my best friends but I wasn't sure if I could be in the middle of things.

"Like I told you before I made some bad choices." Sammie replied with a tone that said drop it and we didn't mention anything else but piled on through our homework.

Thinking that James would be finished with whatever he was doing with Sirius and Peter I decided that I'd go back to my own common room and see him. I wanted an explanation to why he left so suddenly. He didn't have to exactly tell me what he was doing but he did leave instantly so whatever it was, it was more important than what I was to him.

James wasn't there though and it was starting to get darker. Surely he wasn't in detention or something, and what happened between Sammie and Sirius back in 5th year. Alice knew what it was. I felt that this year everyone was keeping secrets from me, first Mary with what happened with Sam although she had no choice, James not telling me why he had to leave so suddenly and now Sammie's break up with Sirius back in 5th year, she wasn't telling me something about that. Was I just not trustworthy or something? Well there was only one way to find out, I was just going to have to wait for James to come back and until then I'm not leaving this couch.

I don't know if it was because I knew Remus was a werewolf or if he was just getting louder but I could hear his howls easily and occasionally I could hear a dog bark but I must have been imagining that, maybe I was imagining the whole thing.

* * *

"I can't believe we won't be doing it again till next year." Sirius pouted.

He obviously found it fun to run around with a werewolf, to be honest I did to it made me feel like a rebel knowing that I was doing something so illegal that I could go to Azkaban for it if I got caught. Of course that freaked me out a bit but knowing that this helped Remus made me forget about that.

"Well I guess we'd better go to the Gryffindor tower and pretend to get a few hours' sleep before everyone gets up." Peter yawned leading Sirius up the stairs to the Gryffindor common room. While I changed course and went to my own room down the hall.

I was surprised to see Lily lying asleep on the couch. Why would she be there and she didn't have books around her so it didn't look like she had fallen asleep doing homework, she didn't have a blanket over her either so I'm guessing she didn't plan to fall asleep there either.

"No what are you doing, don't hurt it what has it done to you." Lily moaned.

I forget all about her nightmares since she had been spending every night since then with me to comfort her.

"Please, please, no don't stay back I…" and then she screamed.

It was sort of amazing to know that she could scream just as realistic in her sleep as she could in real life. Although I've never heard her scream much more than '_your impossible Potter'_ and that had a little huff on the end of it.

"Lily, Lily wake up it was just a dream. Lily you were only dreaming." I cooed trying to wake her up softly.

With a jerk she opened her eyes and bolted upright in a sitting position panting.

"James what, what happened?" she asked and then after her eyes readjusted to the dark she gasped. "What happened to you and where have you been?" This time she sounded stern. She could probably almost rival McGonagall.

"Oh this, this is nothing." I said glancing down at my torn robes and wounds that Remus had caused. Obviously he didn't mean to and like every other time he was going to apologise and feel guilty.

"James, I want some sort of explanation as to why you left so suddenly before and have come back in the early hours of the morning looking like you've been shredded by an animal."

"I wouldn't go as far as saying shredded." I tried to joke.

Lily gasped. "Please tell me you weren't stupid enough to go see Remus, please just tell me you were playing so harmless prank and that I'm still having a nightmare. You could have been killed, he could have bitten you. You know that Remus can't control himself when he's a wolf."

"I don't want to lie to you but I can't tell you much, it's not my secret to tell." I told her. "I want to but it's not just me that this affects." I told her.

"James I really don't want to be dating someone who keeps secrets from me. I know that we've been fine and enjoying each other's company but if we have to lie to each other it's not going to work." Lily said close to tears.

She really wasn't suggesting we break up was she not over this, this was one time and it wasn't even my secret. Well I guess it was but it was more to do with Remus. "What about you, you keep secrets from me, you even asked Sirius to keep the fact that Avery nearly tortured you from me." I wasn't going to let her back out of our relationship.

"Yes but then I didn't come back looking like I had been ripped apart by an animal." Lily shouted.

I miss our fights I really wanted to get into it but it was five in the morning, it wasn't the best idea to wake the whole castle. A lot of people needed sleep.

"You came back with bruises and scratches. How is that different to me now?" I asked.

"It's different because I wasn't breaking the rules; I was patrolling around the corridors making sure that everything was fine. You on the other hand snuck out on to the grounds and stupidly ran around when you knew your best friend was a werewolf at the time. Besides this time I was waiting for you all night and you don't have the decency to tell me what you were doing when I waited for you all night."

"I didn't ask you to wait up, besides we knew what we were doing." I shrugged; I was tired and wanted to sleep.

"You knew what you were doing. How stupid are you. I thought you'd grown up, that you wouldn't be making stupid decisions, someone could have died. You could have been bitten. This just proves that you a still the same immature stupid Potter. I actually thought that you had changed now that you're Head Boy but you haven't." Lily yelled.

"So that's it then, it's going to end." I yelled actually mad and upset now. Lily didn't seem to be joking around.

"If we have to lie to each other than yes." Lily replied softly turning away.

"Lily I want to tell you I do, but it's not just my secret to tell." I replied softly and walked away. "I have grown up, you've seen that I have, just because I do something you think is stupid doesn't mean that I haven't grown up."

I can't believe that what had just started was now gone. I thought that nothing was going to break us apart. If anything it was going to Sam and now that he's not around Lily and I should have lasted I needed her. She was the only one who kept me going, my good side came from her, and the reckless side I was born with and also comes from Sirius. Lily was my reasoning and now she was gone.

* * *

A/N

So Lily and James can't go very long without having a fight. Although they could have picked a better time than five in the morning. We know who Danni is now did anyone guess that she was James' sister. Sammie hurt Sirius bad and he doesn't even know how bad it was. Anyway look out for the next chapter.  
SpringBabe.


	17. Not Long Now

Chapter 17: Not Long Now

"Prongs what are you doing down here so early? I thought you'd still be asleep with Lily in your arms." Sirius chirped.

"You know I could ask you the same question, you're not a morning person in fact you're the last one to come down for breakfast." I replied not looking up at him.

"Yeah but I couldn't sleep, I kept thinking about how Sammie practically jumped onto me, you know when she asked me out. It seems like she wants something from me." Sirius replied throwing a roll onto his plate.

"These girls are too much trouble." I told him still not looking up.

"Is everything alright Prongs?" Sirius asked, he actually sounded slightly worried.

"Lily's not coming home with me for Christmas" I told him slightly robotic.

"Why did she say no, surely she would prefer to go to your place than to stay at Hogwarts over Christmas."

"No, I never got a chance to ask, we broke up last night."

"Great all that effort I went to trying to get you two together has gone to waste, whatever you broke up about better be good." Sirius groaned.

"Well apparently she was waiting for me to come back last night and you know how we got back around five in the morning, well I found her having a nightmare on the couch. I woke her up and then she saw that I was injured. It wasn't bad or anything just a few scratches here and there. Well she kept demanding an explanation as to why I was out for so long and why I looked shredded. Her words not mine." I told Sirius.

"Wait that was it?"

"Not exactly, she jumped to conclusions and figured out that we'd been out with Remus but I told her it wasn't my secret to tell and then she got a bit shitty about it and said that it wasn't going to work if I kept secrets from her so I asked how it was any different to when she kept that secret from me and asked you to lie to me. She said I was still immature and hadn't changed because I was still making stupid decisions."

"Well then you need to tell her that it isn't exactly a stupid decision. She already knows that Remus is a werewolf; I'm sure wont freak out about the rest. I'll ask Remus and Peter if they're fine with it, I'm sure they will be so tonight you can tell her and sort this out." Sirius whispered since people were entering the hall for breakfast.

"Hey, Potter." Henry Zaw called out. "I heard you needed a beater for this week's game, I've played that position a few times if you still need a fill in."

"Um, sure. Training's tomorrow night so met me down at the pitch at 6:30 and we'll see how good you are." I told him.

"Cool I'll see you then," the fifth year said and walked off to join his friends.

"Where's Lily?" Mary asked as she sat down with Sammie and Alice. Alice was shooting glances at Sirius and Sammie as they got cosy and started making out.

I shrugged my response leaving Sirius to explain and turned back to my breakfast as Peter joined us yawning as he sat down next to Sirius.

"What why, you guys were actually so cute together; I could actually see you lasting." Alice said.

"Well sometimes we see things wrong." I replied grumpily and walked out.

Of course I'd have to bump into the red haired goddess who I didn't want to talk to at the moment. It didn't look like she did either and we just walked past each other silently. She didn't know it but she was breaking my heart, she was good at that. Always had been. It wasn't obvious before but now it was. We weren't made for each other.

* * *

I made a massive mistake breaking up with James. I wanted to take to him about it but he was never around. Someone had changed our rounds so that we wouldn't be doing them together. James and Peter always sat at the back of the classrooms away from us and during meals James sat as far away from me as possible but not to the other end of the table just far enough that he would still be able to talk to Sirius and the others but not me.

I know I hurt him. I hurt myself and he hurt me in the smallest possible way. It was the worst thing to have that nightmare with the stag being cursed and cut right in front of me and then to see James with his clothes torn and blood all over him. It scared me and converted all my fright and worry into anger. Probably not the best idea.

I heard they had a new beater, apparently he was no Sam but he was way better than me otherwise James would never have agreed to let him on the team. They were out there every night practising and with three days until the game they probably needed it. I was worried for them but I'm sure they'll do well. I don't doubt James at all even if he is now my ex. I really wish he wasn't but he is.

"Why don't you swap spots with Remus and go talk to him?" Silvia asked me.

"I can't he doesn't want to talk to me besides we're about to start a new pairs assignment." I reasoned.

"So that doesn't mean you can talk to others or sit in different spots. Besides we aren't working on our pair's assignment until next week and who knows this time you and James might what to partner up." Silvia suggested.

"I don't think so; as much as I want to he doesn't want it. I think he's done. We went out I thought we had something really good but it wasn't meant to last. As much as it hurts, as much as I love him I need to forget about it and move on." I told her. It wasn't possible for James and me to get back together nothing between us ever lasts.

Silvia didn't say anything she just gasped and stared at me with shock then back to James.

"What why are you staring at me?" I asked and got no reply. "Silvia do you want to say something instead of just staring at me."

I glanced around the room to find that the Hufflepuff's and the Slytherin's were all working on today's task but Remus and Sirius were staring at me while James was leaning back on his chair with his hands behind his head like he was too cool for this class.

"Silvia." I said a bit louder snapping my fingers in front of her face.

"Sorry but do you realise what you just said?" She asked smiling brightly. "Don't worry about that do you realise how loud you said it?"

* * *

No matter how many times Sirius was going to pester me I wasn't going to tell Lily about being an animagus. That would just ruin everything. It was illegal and Lily would never go for someone who breaks the law. She could even tell someone and then it would be goodbye Hogwarts, hello Azkaban and good morning to jail bars.

"Look I think Sirius is right. You and Lily you're like the perfect couple. People fight and then people forgive each other and make up. Look at what happened between me and Sirius last year." Remus mused.

"I don't think we need to bring that up Moony, we all know the story and I know what I did wrong, a part of me will never forgive myself and I've learnt when a joke goes too far." Sirius said solemnly.

"Wow Padfoot I've never heard you so sincere, it actually sounded like you meant it but the answer is still no. You had both been friends for six years when that happened; you had a history of friendship. Lily and I have only been going out for around a month, it's different."

"Prongs, for years you've been telling us that Lily's your girl, she's the girl of your dreams and that you were made for each other. When you went out you both looked like you were made for each other. Lily isn't as serious as she once was. She actually likes you, and she even likes me. You aren't as reckless as you once were and you actually study for lessons now. You aren't as arrogant and you don't boast anymore." Sirius stated.

"Look I appreciate the fact that the two of you are trying to help me but I don't know how much good advice from a guy who sleeps with a girl for one night then moves onto another girl the next night." I told them both.

Sirius huffed and that was the end of all conversations.

"As much as it hurts, as much as I love him I need to forget about it and move on." I heard her sweet angelic voice from the desk next to us.

It wasn't that she was overly loud because the others a few rows behind didn't hear her but Sirius, Remus and I did. I froze when I heard her say what she did. It wasn't the part about needing to forget and move on it was more the words I love him that made me freeze. I nearly fell backwards on my chair.

Sirius and Remus were both staring at Lily than smirking at me. I knew what they were thinking. There was still a chance. For the first time in my life I had heard the girl I love say that she loves me. Well not directly to me and there was always the chance that she wasn't talking about me but then again who else could it be. Maybe just maybe we could fix this. Maybe Sirius and Remus were right.

"Ok you win, Sirius, Remus after Quiditch practise we'll get Peter and then talk to Lily but I don't think it will improve anything." I sighed leaning back in my chair with my hands behind my head.

* * *

"Girls I need to talk to Lily alone, would you be able to go back to the common room for now. I don't know how long this will take." Remus politely asked ordering Sammie, Alice, Mary and Silvia who wanted to persuade me into talking to James even if he wouldn't listen.

Once they were gone shutting the door being them I turned to Remus. "Look if you're here to talk about me and James. There is no me and James. I regret breaking up with him, I really do but we broke up at five in the morning I don't think either of us knew what we were saying. I wanted to make things up with him but I haven't been able to. James is avoiding me so whatever you want me to do I can't." I told him.

"Are you done?" Remus asked the corner of his mouth turned upwards as he smirked. "I'm not here to convince you into getting back with James; I'm just here to ask you if you would be able to hear us out and not to jump to conclusions when we tell you our biggest secret."

"Look Remus I already know you're a werewolf, what's bigger than that. Is Sirius a vampire, Peter a half leprechaun, James a banshee?" I asked sarcastically.

"No, Look Lily they'll be back from Quiditch practise any moment now with Peter and then you'll hear why James didn't want to tell you want happened that night." Remus explained.

"I guess I don't have a choice but I don't want to pressure James into telling me something so secretive that he needs all four of you."

"Well he was telling the truth in a way, it isn't just his secret it's more something that Sirius, Peter and James share. In a way I share the secret as well but not to the extent that they do." Remus said.

"You know now you've got me worried, is it something that they could get expelled for?" I asked.

"Good Moony you're already here so we can get started straight away." Sirius boomed walking in not worrying about the mud that was dripping across the marble floor. "Hello Flames, great to finally talk to you again as much as I wanted to see you my loyalties lay to this." Sirius directed his thumb to James.

"Good to see you too Sirius and please stop calling me flames, my hair is not like a flame." I smiled at him. "Hey Peter, James." I greeted them as well.

"Right well let's get this over with and things back to phase 3 or if we're extremely lucky to phase 4." Sirius said in his cheerful way.

"What is he talking about?" I asked Remus quietly.

"Not important, nothing really just something stupid Sirius came up with." Remus said loud enough for Sirius to hear.

"Hey." Sirius replied. "Right well enough of that. Lily we are all here to reveal to you the reasons why James returned to his dorm at five in the morning looking like he had been shredded by an animal."

"Hang on, I think James should explain." Peter squeaked. "After all Lily is I mean was his girlfriend."

I looked to James who gulped and spoke. "Ok but don't interrupted until I'm finished." I nodded and waited for him to start explaining. "Well I was basically shredded by an animal you see every full moon once a month Sirius, Peter and I sneak out to see Remus and help him through the pain of transforming. Yes I know it's risky and we could be bitten by him since he doesn't know who he is when he's a werewolf." James added seeing the look on my face. "The thing is werewolf bites don't harm animals like they do to humans. If a human is bitten by a werewolf they either die or are turned into a werewolf. If an animal is bitten by a werewolf that's all it is a bite from a wolf. To keep Remus company Sirius Peter and I turn into animals and control Remus as he roams around the forest. Well that's basically it."

I was shocked I didn't know what to say, I wanted to scream at them for putting themselves in danger. I wanted to scream at Remus for letting them put themselves in this much danger but I couldn't. I didn't want to. In a weird way this actually really sweet and really kind of them to do that for Remus. They valued friendship that much that they would do anything for each other.

"So let me get this straight. Once a month you three sneak out of the castle, turn into animals and roam around the forest with Remus who is a werewolf on this night."

All four of them nodded.

"And the only way for you to do this is to become animagus' right?" I asked.

The three of them nodded.

"How long have you been an animagus' for?" I asked. Surely they had only just become them this year. It was extremely advanced and the only other person I know that was an animagus is McGonagall.

"Since the beginning of 5th year." James whispered.

"What!" I was shocked it was extremely advanced magic and they mastered it when they were fifteen. "But how did the ministry approve you all?"

Looking at their facial expressions I knew the answer. "You're not registered are you? No one knows about this do they? Do you know how many laws you are breaking just for your friend?" I told them.

Once again the three of them nodded not wanting to speak while Remus froze waiting for the shouting to start. Well surprise, surprise I wasn't going to. Yes I am known to shout and this is something I should shout about but I couldn't help but see the noble side more than the risky and illegal side.

"That's extremely noble of you." I said to James giving him a small kiss. "The fact that you have risked so much for your friend. You can rarely find loyalty like that these days, I'm sorry we broke up because you wouldn't tell me this but I'm extremely touched that you have told me your deepest secret. I promise no one will find out and I want to tell you that I love you."

I stood back waiting for James' reaction. I was worried maybe I had rejected him too many times that he has had enough.

"I've always wanted to hear that come from you. I've dreamed about it and I never want to stop hearing it." James said pulling me towards him.

"I think that's our cue to leave." Remus told the others.

Slowly Remus, Sirius and Peter left leaving us alone to make-up.

"Lily I have one thing to ask you and I really want you to say yes." James asked.

He couldn't be could he; we had only just got back together besides as much as I want us too I can't predict the future and I don't know if we'll last.

"Will you come to my place for the Christmas Holidays, my parents and Danni really want to meet you. After six years of telling them all about you they want to meet you in person." James asked really fast. I barely made out what he was saying.

I tried to hide the breath I let out, so it wasn't an engagement. No idea where that thought came from.

"Of course, I'd love to meet your parents." I replied and he flopped backwards onto the couch pulling me with him.

I still don't want to meet Danni though, even though he has told me that there is no one but me. I'm worried to meet this Danni chick. He already singled her out of his cousins so I know she isn't a family member. No matter how many times I told myself that this Danni person wasn't important there was that sinking feeling in my stomach that told me she was James' first and she was someone he was never going to let go of. I was going to be 2nd to him or that's what the sinking feeling was telling me.

* * *

**A/N  
I hate to admit it this chapter isn't really that important but at least James and Lily are back together. I'm trying hard not to spoil anything to come because that's what I always seem to do. I've got plans for future chapters it's just going to take a while to get there.  
R & R,  
SpringBabe. **


	18. Under the Mistletoe

Chapter 18: Under the Mistletoe

"Go James." I screamed as James flew past after the snitch.

Gryffindor was already in the lead by 50 points, the chasers making up for the new beater's skills. Not that the new beater was bad or anything he was actually pretty good he nearly knocked the Hufflepuff keeper off his broom he just wasn't as good as the rest of the Gryffindor team. I'm sure after a bit of training and time he would be quite good.

Sammie was screaming her head off praising Sirius while the rest of us cheered along with the other Gryffindor fans acting like Sammie wasn't with us. Yes I'll admit I was shouting things out to James but I wasn't shouting myself hoarse with ridiculous things like I love you. There was a time and place for that and I'm sure James wouldn't appreciate me shouting that out to him right before he was about to catch the snitch. From where I was sitting Sirius was looking a bit red and there were a few times right after Sammie would profess her love that he would miss the bludger.

James had lapped the pitch followed by yellow as both seekers dived for the snitch. It was always these moments where I got nervous. Even if they were nowhere near the ground I still got scared for them whenever they dived straight to the ground. It was always in the timing and while James had shown that he could always time it right it never stopped the butterflies in my stomach. It surprised me to realise that I always felt nervous whenever James went into a dive in every game. Even when I didn't like him. Does that mean that I've always liked him?

Scarlet supporters all stood up out of their seats in happiness once James caught the snitch and I was among them jumping with joy and hugging Sammie congratulating each other for our boyfriend's achievement. Down on the pitch both teams were shaking hands and congratulating each other. Hufflepuff and Gryffindor's never had a problem with sportsmanship but it was always the Slytherin and Ravenclaw players that took whatever risks to win.

The Gryffindor team were all hugging and smiling at each, congratulating each other with pats on the back for a spectacular game. I ignored Peters shout of a party in the common room, something I had become good at this year. The years before I refused to participate and was the one responsible for calling McGonagall whenever the party exceeded 11 O'clock. Now thanks to James and the Marauders I enjoyed the parties and forgot about the girl last year who followed all the rules like they were my life.

"So what did you think of the game?" James asked me when we got back to the common room where the party had already started.

"I enjoyed it, you have a chance at winning the cup this year, I'm sure you will. Like always I was nervous when you pulled into the dive." I admitted.

"Oh really well do you know that it's all about the timing. I happen to be good at judging that, I've never crashed into the ground." I rolled my eyes at his response trying to find something sarcastic to reply with. "Did you say like always, meaning that this isn't the first time you felt nervous?" He asked.

I hadn't realised I said that but after the secret James told me I had nothing to compare too. I owed it too him to tell him everything and I was ok with it. It was James I was talking to, not Sam not Snape and not Sirius.

"I guess maybe I never really hated you after all. I did start to see a new side of you last year but I didn't want to tell anyone, I didn't want you to know in case you ruined it. Besides I liked the idea of rejecting you the whole time. At least then you would remember me." I told him opening up completely revealing how insecure I was these were the feelings that I pushed back because they were too confusing to work out.

"Lily no matter what I could never forget you. I would never be able to forget your smile, your laugh, and your kisses and I hope I will never have to part from them. I can barely remember a time when you did reject me. For me it's like my life just started when you asked me out." James said dragging me to a couch.

"You know, you make me feel happy, so much has happened this year, my parents dying, Sam and Petunia wanting nothing to do with me. When I'm with you I am happy again and you bring out the best of me. The little fight we had two days ago. That's made me realise that I need you and what I just said to you before. Those insecurities of not being remembered. I've never admitted that to anyone. I can do that with you. James I love you." I blurted out the last four words but I meant them. I really did.

X

I thought at first that I had heard her wrong it was like a dream come true, I loved her more than anything, always had and now she was saying the words back to me.

"Lily I love you too." I whispered only to her as I was getting closer.

Her lips were so soft and this kiss was different. It wasn't like any other kiss I had, had. The kisses Lily and I shared before were different. I thought they had sparks but compared to this those kisses were a small flicker of a flame.

"Oii Prongs, that's what your common room's for. Could you at least do that under the mistletoe?" Sirius shouted over everyone.

Lily didn't look embarrassed at all; she just pulled me off the couch and under the mistletoe where we continued. I didn't want it to stop, I wasn't about to ruin the best night of my life. I think if it got a bit heated we would be taking off each other's clothes so maybe it wasn't a bad idea that we stopped. Imagine the first years, seeing their Heads of the school stripping off. What would have happened if McGonagall walked in. Now that would have been funny to see.

We broke apart and the world was spinning. I felt unstable. It was like I couldn't function without Lily. I longed for her wanted to feel my hands move up her back into her hair. I wanted to feel her hands as the massaged themselves against the back of my neck while our lips locked.

"Do you want to dance?" I asked glancing at the middle of the common room where a lot of the students were dancing.

The hypocrite Sirius was snogging Sammie on the couch that Lily and I were previously on.

"Of course." Lily replied as we walked to the middle of the room and joined the others who were dancing.

X  
"I'll see you in a couple of weeks then." I told Mary hugging her. I was going to miss her for those two weeks. I had promised her that we would have the best Christmas ever since I would be staying at Hogwarts as well. That was before James asked me and well I really wanted to meet his family they sounded fun and put this Danni chick in her place. James was mine and I wasn't going to let anyone else have him.

"Look I'll be fine, Peter's staying here as well so maybe I'll be able to talk to him. I haven't really got to know him."

I was proud; Mary was finally coming out of her shell and making herself known. People had always noticed her before but know she was starting to notice that. Apparently I'm the same. I never knew that boys liked me, until James let me make my own choice. Looking back now I wish I had off realised what a tough choice that was for him to make. Letting other guys ask me out right in front of me when he cared so much. I'm never going to forget that.

"I know, but still I promised that I would stay and have a great time with you." I whinged. I felt like the bad friend. The one who always broke promises. It was like I was turning into Alice and Sammie, they broke a lot of promises for boys until this year.

"Hey I don't mind really, it'll be nice to have the peace and quiet of the castle to myself and the other few remaining students here. I won't have to fight for good seats in the common room, get to stay by the fire as long as I want and have silence to study. NEWTS aren't that far away you know." Mary said cheerfully.

"Ok but I'll make sure you're on the list for the Potter's New Year's party unless they won't let me." I told her giving her one last hug and going to join the others in the carriage. Well James, Alice and Remus since Sammie and Sirius had disappeared, probably kissing under more mistletoe.

Alice looked like she'd had a rough night, Remus was looking through a Quiditch magazine that James had lent him while James and I just sat together silently.

"Sirius and Sammie are cutting it fine aren't they?" I asked glancing at James' watch.

Alice shrugged her shoulders and looked like she couldn't care less. Apparently according to Lauren and some other girls they had a fight over something very serious but Mary hadn't said anything to me. I thought that they might have meant over Sirius but I didn't think that Alice had ever liked Sirius it was always Sammie that did since she was the one that always hung around him. Everyone told Sammie that she and Sirius would be a cute couple and then when they broke up because Sammie didn't want to be like the other girls Sirius had dated.

I have to keep reminding myself that something is not right with that statement. There were no other girls before Sammie.

X

I think Sirius and Sammie made it onto the train in time. I don't actually know since they didn't come and find us once the train started moving. I wasn't worried, they could both apparate and if they missed the train because they were snogging they would always meet us at either my place or the platform.

Alice had fallen asleep on Remus' shoulder and Lily was snuggled into me. It didn't look like Remus minded he was carefully flicking through the pages of one of the later editions of Quiditch Fanatics trying to make the smallest movement possible to keep Alice from stirring. I just held Lily close to me and waited for Sirius and Sammie to join us so the compartment wouldn't be so quiet.

According to the others this morning while Alice and Sammie had a massive fight while they were packing. Mary's sister and her friends were outside their door when they heard the two girls shouting at each other. I had no idea what they were fighting about but I didn't think that Alice wanted to see Sammie anything soon. Maybe that was why Sirius and Sammie hadn't joined us.

Nothing happened for ages. I think Lily feel asleep and the only thing I found myself doing was stroking Lily's hair and talking to Remus who had finished the magazine within an hour of the train moving. It was a boring train ride to be honest. Normally we would be talking about the prank we had just pulled off or about girls. Then again that was before Lily and I finally got together.

Since both the girls were asleep Remus and I talked about them and their friends like they weren't there. We didn't say anything bad about them but it was things that aren't meant for girls ears. First for discussion was Sammie. I had always seen Sammie and Sirius getting together again. They were the exact same as each other so it was no wonder they were constantly found snogging recently. I never really talked to Mary much, she was always there but never drew attention to herself, in some ways I thought she would be the perfect match for Remus but now that Deran's gone she's actually smiled at everyone and is now starting to form her own spotlight.

Alice is a difficult one. I always thought that she liked Sirius and was jealous of Sammie when she first went out with Sirius. What surprised me was that Alice drifted away from us not long after Sammie and Sirius broke up. In the end I thought that Alice only hung around us because Sammie did. Even then when Sammie and Sirius made up and became the best of buds Alice never re-joined us and joined Lily in the 'I hate the marauder's club'."

"Hey Moony, why do you think Alice stopped being friends with us?" I asked.

"I don't know but she talks to us a bit now doesn't she?" Remus replied.

"Yeah I guess but that's only when she's with Lily. She doesn't hang around with us now like she used to. It used to be the marauders Sammie and Alice with Mary sitting in the shadows occasionally." I reminded him.

"Yeah I remember that but didn't she stop being friends with us around the time that Sammie broke up with Sirius. Maybe she was just being a good friend to Sammie." Remus suggested.

"I thought that but wouldn't she have become friends with us again? She used to have fun and join us on a lot of pranks." I asked him.

"I don't know Prongs, I've learnt from watching the fights between you and Lily, Sammie and Sirius, even Mary who lurked in the shadows that girls are complicated. There is no way in hell you'll be able to know what they're always thinking." Remus replied.

Lily woke up then with a smile at Remus' comment. She definitely heard that and I was surprised that it pleased her.

"Of course we're complicated. You should try living a girl's life for a day it gets confusing for us too." Lily said chuckling at her own comment causing Alice to stir.

"Hey Lily, do you want to go for a walk." Alice asked her.

I knew what that meant. Sammie told us all a few years ago. When girls went for a walk there was usually something that needed to be talked about. I was guessing it had to do with Alice's and Sammie's fight.

"Sure we'll be back soon, if the Trolley lady comes past can you please get me a few chocolate frogs?" Lily asked me.

Once they walked out Sirius and Sammie walked in.

"Finally I thought Alice was going to be asleep for the whole trip and that we'd never be able to sit with you guys." Sammie explained for their disappearance.

"What really happened with you and Alice?" I asked. It had to be something bad if they were avoiding each other like that.

X

"So what happened this morning?" I asked as soon as we were a few compartments away.

"Do you know what happened the first time Sammie and Sirius went out?" Alice asked me.

I shook my head in response. The only thing Sammie told us was that she didn't want to be like the other girls and she didn't tell us that until we came back for our 6th year. Of course Alice knew the real answer; Sammie and Alice were extremely close back then. They had sort of drifted apart in the last two years and well at the moment they were enemies.

"Well back then I was really close with Sirius as well. I thought he and Sammie suited each other but I also thought that I could have a chance with Sirius but he never noticed me like he noticed Sammie. As the best friend I was happy for Sammie, I put on a cheerful face and enjoyed discussing her relationship with Sirius. It sounded like a fantasy relationship for the first two months before Lachlan Staypden made his appearance to Sammie. Well Sammie slept with Lachie almost straight after she met him. He turned her down though and said that while she was cute he couldn't have a relationship that anyone knew about with someone so young." Alice told me.

"Are you sure that's true." Sammie was one of my best friends I couldn't see her cheating on Sirius who was also a closer friend to me than I thought was possible.

"Yeah she told me straight after it happened saying she didn't know whether she should break up with Sirius or not, whether she should continue sleeping around with Lachie because while he didn't want anyone to know about her he still wanted to have secret hook ups. I told her that it wasn't fair on Sirius if he didn't know but she never told him. I stuck by her and helped her lie to Sirius even if I didn't want to. She believed that as long as he didn't find out she could still sleep around with Lachie."

I wanted to believe Alice, I really did but it seemed really far-fetched for Sammie to do that. Then again Alice would have needed to have spent a while coming up with that story. If it was true I felt terrible for Sirius he never knew and he took Sammie back. There had to be more to the story I didn't want to take sides.

"Apparently the guilt became too much and Sammie couldn't handle it so she broke up with Sirius under false pretences of liking Damien." Alice recounted. "I thought that when she got back with him she had changed but don't you realise that they got together right after I told you all about being the mystery girl. It didn't click until what she said this morning."

Alice pulled me off to the side towards the toilets where she hoped no one was listening I guess. She spoke quieter though just in case. "This morning she made a comment about being the lucky girl that Sirius would lose his virginity too. I questioned what she had said, but she claimed that he told her he was a virgin. Apparently everything about him is made up Sirius hasn't gone further than snogging."

I gasped. "No way! Sirius Black a virgin but his reputation." I nearly shouted. "There is no way that's all made up."

"I know, I think too many bitches made up shit so he had to go along with it. Sure I thought he was a bit of a womaniser but I've been completely wrong about him. I've also been completely wrong about Sammie as well. She can get bitchy really quickly and there is always something to gain. I think they only reason that she's with Sirius is so she can claim the title of the first girl Sirius had sex with." Alice told me.

I didn't know what to say but Alice opened her mouth again to say more.

"Not only is she using him but she's also lying to him. She accidently let it slip that Sirius thinks she's his mystery girl. That's where it got really ugly. I forgot that I hated Sirius, or well used to but the fact that she's lying to him, pretending to be me and using him made me forget about all that. He doesn't even know about Lachie." Alice finished.

"Ok," I said slowly when Alice didn't show any sign of talking again trying to process everything she said. "I don't want to doubt you some of it clicks but I never noticed a lot back then so I can't be 100% sure that it all fits. One thing I want to know, you and Frank who decided on the open relationship?" I asked.

Alice looked slightly embarrassed and I didn't think she was going to answer but she did and I started putting conclusions together with her answer. She suggested the open relationship on the off chance that Sirius would remember her, but he started looking too late when Alice had accepted Frank. Maybe it was for the best but I knew that Alice had always liked Sirius. I wondered what Sammie's story was.

"Look if you don't believe me don't, just don't believe everything Sammie says either." Alice told me than stormed off.

How is it that when two of your friends fight you are in the middle of it and have to pick a side like the situation is black and white? If only it was that simple.

X

Lily came back half an hour later without Alice.

"Don't worry you haven't missed the food yet." I told her as she sat down beside me.

She cuddled up against me and only then did she realise that Sirius and Sammie were in the compartment as well. From the look on Lily's face she had heard Alice's story and it was clear that Alice had said that Sammie was the one in the wrong while Sammie explained to us that it was all Alice. Only one could be right or otherwise they could both be just as bad and then the situation gets extremely complicated.

"So what did the bitch tell you?" Sammie asked Lily harshly.

"What?" Lily asked shocked by Sammie's tone. All of us were even Sirius jumped away from Sammie in surprise.

"Alice what lie and wonderful story did she concoct for you?" Sammie asked still just as harsh.

"What she believes is the truth." Lily replied. "What are you going to tell me?"

"The truth." Sammie replied. "We were both packing when…"

Lily interrupted. "Wait was Mary there as well."

"Yeah of course she was helping us. Anyway Mary asked how things with Sirius were and I said that things were going great, and that I thought that I might be in love with him."

I glanced at Sirius, he looked uncomfortable when she said that and he stopped massaging Sammie's back.

"Really?" Lily asked with disbelief obviously Alice never mentioned that.

"Yeah it's true. Alice made a sort of disgusted noise like she was trying to vomit. Well it turns out that she likes Sirius as well and things got heated for a while." Sammie paused for a few seconds than continued, "she shouted at me and said that I was only using Sirius to get a good reputation to make up for the reputation I had set for myself."

X

"Hey James do you want to come and find the food trolley?" I asked, really all I wanted was to spend time with James away from the others and just take my mind off of Alice and Sammie's fight. I wish I wasn't in the middle of it.

"Sure I'm pretty hungry." James replied standing up and stretching his legs.

"So what did Alice tell you?" James asked when we had past the food trolley.

"I'll tell you later, all I want is to spend time with you without having to think about Alice and Sammie." I told James who agreed to what I had in mind straight away.

I didn't think that the prefect's compartment was being used and luckily it wasn't because we were able to get some use of the solitude. It was basically like the night before, our passionate kisses under the mistletoe except this time there was no mistletoe and we were wary of others barging in.

We spent most of our time in the prefect's compartment until I recognised the scenery. We were pretty close to Kings Cross Station so we decided to head back to the others. This time Sammie wasn't there instead Remus, Sirius and Alice were sitting in silence. It seemed like no one had talked for ages. Sirius looked uncomfortable, Remus was looking straight at Alice while Alice was pretending that the boys weren't there and was staring straight out the window.

"Did something happen while we were gone?" I asked.

"Kind of Sammie and Alice had a fight about half an hour ago." Remus replied. I noticed that both Sirius and Alice were staying quiet.

"Ok, so what happened?" I asked right when the train came to a screeching halt.

Since I wasn't sitting down I was flung right on top of Sirius while James balanced himself by holding onto the bag racks.

As soon as I regained my balance Alice stood up and nearly knocked me down again. "I'll see you all later have a great Christmas." And with a short hug she left levitating her trunk behind her.

James and I shared a quick glance before collecting our trunks. Both Sirius and Remus looked like they wanted to leave the awkwardness of the compartment as soon as they could.

"So James are your parents waiting for you?" I asked.

"Nah they're at home so we'll apparate there and you can meet them. I'm sure Danni is beyond excited to see you. I've told her all about you and I think she's hoping you'll be like a sister to her." James explained.

Yippee, I thought sarcastically that was exactly what I wanted. To become sisters with James' ex-girlfriend.

Sirius was going to come back to the Potter's with James and me so we waited for him to say goodbye to Sammie. I wasn't sure if it was just me but the goodbye kiss looked a little bit awkward between Sirius and Sammie. Maybe he had an idea of what was happening but I wasn't sure it was all Sammie's fault.

"You guys ready, I can't wait to help myself to Mrs Potter's sandwiches'." Sirius grinned meeting us by the barrier. "She makes these amazing sandwiches, the way she gets everything just right." He went on for more my sake then James'. I'm sure James had experienced his own mum's sandwiches but I'm sure Sirius didn't need to rave about them for the whole time it took us to get to the apparation site so I just tuned him out until we started the familiar churning feeling of apparation.

"Welcome to my home." James grinned letting go of my hand once we were standing in front of a huge house.

It was slightly bigger than my place. It was stunning. Made out of red brick and it looked like it was three stories high. I had heard that a lot of the older wizarding families could afford houses like this but I never believed it. When James used to brag about his house he never gave all the details in fact he was being modest.

Sirius was already strolling up to the front door when I pulled James aside.

"Look James I'm excited to meet your parents but I have to admit, I don't want to meet your ex. I'm sure it would be awkward and it's great that you have such a good relationship with her but I don't think having your current girlfriend and your ex under the same roof is a good idea." I told him. Might as well tell him now.

"What?" James blinked confused.

"You know you mentioned that Danni was going to meet me and I'm not sure if I want to meet an old girlfriend of yours who is that close to you right now." I told him.

"Wait you think that Danni is my ex-girlfriend?" James asked puzzled.

"Well yeah you kind of gave that impression of her." I replied.

"She's…" James began to say but then he was cut off by a small object that went flying into him.

It looked like whatever it was had winded him and stopped him from talking. At first I thought it was a small animal like his family's kneazel cat if they had one, but it was too big to be a cat and my next conclusion was that it was a house elf but even that seemed ridiculous to me. House elves don't hug their masters.

James turned the something around so I could see what it was. "Lily I'd like you to meet my sister Danni." He told me.

A/N  
So it's ended with a little cliff hanger. All along Lily thought that Danni was James' ex and to finally be told that she's his sister may be a bit of a shock. To all the readers I want to give you a choice. Should Sammie be a complete bitch like she was portrayed by Alice in this chapter or as someone who made one stupid mistake? Review and let me know what you think, about Sammie or any of the characters, at the moment I don't know what to do with them until a few chapters into the future. Sorry about the long chapter but I just didn't want to split it up into two. I really wanted to get the revealing of Danni to Lily done. So sorry if I rushed it.  
SpringBabe. xxxx


	19. Like a Virgin

Chapter 19: Like a Virgin

I felt like a complete idiot. Here was James introducing me to his adorable little sister and all this time I thought she was his ex-girlfriend. All those times when I thought James was two timing not just me but other girls as well he was actually just mentioning his sister. Bragging about her, something he has a good reason to brag about. I can see why he always mentioned her. I would always be bringing her up in conversations if she was my sister. Pity I had Petunia, who wants nothing to do with me.

"So you're Danni." I gushed trying to cover up my mistake and make Danni feel important. "James doesn't stop talking about you."

"Really?" Danni asked with disbelief going slightly red.

"Well come on let's get inside and I'll introduce you to my parents." James said picking Danni up and grabbing my hand.

"Do you know what I did while you were away?" Danni asked James trying to make him guess.

"No, but I bet it was something exciting." James replied giving his full attention to his sister.

Most girls would be jealous; maybe I would be if I wasn't trying to hide myself from my previous mistake.

"Well I got to help with the Christmas decorations and Mum even let me put the star on top of the tree and we built a lot of snowmen." Danni ranted in a very cute voice.

"And you didn't tell me about it, if I knew I would have rushed home so I could do that too." James told her blowing a raspberry on her forehead.

I had to grin, James made Danni feel like she was important and that she had done something that James missed out on. Petunia used to do that to me when we got along. When she went to school before I did she would pretend that she was really sad about missing days in the park and shopping trips.

"Do you want to know a secret?" James asked her just loud enough for me to hear.

"Yes." Danni squealed back.

"You can't tell anyone, not mum, dad and definitely not Sirius."

"What about Lily?" Danni asked.

"Not even Lily. This is just between the two of us." James told her.

I couldn't hear what he told her, I was hoping he would but I didn't mind not really it was cute to see how much he cared about his sister.

"James, your home. Good you've seen Danni. This must be Lily. We've heard so much about you. Every holiday he could never stop talking about you. Drew and I found all his letters amusing since he always had to include why you shouted at him and that you knew you secretly liked him." Mrs Potter said extremely fast hugging both James and I.

"Mum." James wined turning red.

"Yes well she finally spared us all our ear drums or what's left of them and asked him out." Sirius said half a sandwich in hand.

"Yes well you've also shared your fair share of girl problems. What about this mystery girl? Have you found her?" Mrs Potter asked him.

"Yeah she told me, it was Sammie." Sirius told her shoving the sandwich in his mouth.

I froze. Alice was right Sammie did lie to Sirius. The other stuff must be true. Do I really not know my best friends that well?

"Lily dear, would you like a sandwich or do you want to put your stuff in the room, James can show you where it is. Please make yourself at home. Drew will be home just before six, he sure can't wait to meet the girl that captured his heart." Mrs Potter told me.

"Mum do you want to tell her anything else. While you're embarrassing me why don't you just get the baby photos out?" James teased setting him up for even more embarrassment.

"I wouldn't mind seeing those." I joked trying to include myself. "A sandwich would be great Mrs Potter but maybe I should put my trunk in my room first." I said finally speaking since my great mistake.

"That's completely fine dear. James would you like to show her to her room, I hope it's alright dear, it's one of our nicer guest rooms, and you can always swap if it's not right but I thought you might like to be near the rest of our household."

"I'm sure it will be fine Mrs Potter." I said remembering my manners.

"Please call me Anne, Mrs Potter makes me feel old." She looked at us then added. "Well older than I am anyway.

Danni and Sirius followed James and I up the stairs. Sirius eating another sandwich while Danni was telling both James and Sirius what she had been up to while they were at Hogwarts.

"Well this is your room, mines just two across and Sirius is next to you in the other guest room. Well it's permanently his for now." James told me opening the door up for me.

"And mines right across the hall." Danni piped in.

"Ok, well we'll leave you to unpack and you can meet us downstairs when you're ready." James told me ushering Sirius and Danni out. "Danni come on you can talk to her downstairs."

Danni was still standing in the room and didn't look like she wanted to move.

"Let Lily unpack first." James said forcefully.

"That's alright she can stay here I don't mind I'm sure she won't be a hassle." I told him.

I didn't want James to get annoyed at Danni when he proved how sweet he was with her. Besides Danni looked very happy to be left in the room when the boys left.

* * *

Hey James how do you know that what you and Lily have is real?" Sirius asked me when we were alone downstairs.

"It just feels right, there's that spark you know. Why?"

"Well I thought that when I found out that Sammie was the girl that it would be the same but it feels like there was a spark that first time but there isn't now. I always thought that the mystery girl was going to be the girl I fell in love with but I don't think I am." Sirius explained.

"You know I always thought that you were the Hogwarts womaniser who didn't care about girls but you do don't you?"

"Of course I do. I haven't slept with anyone all that happened was that I snogged the girls to see if any of them were the girl I was looking for." Sirius told me.

"You're still a virgin. I swear Chloe told everyone last year that you had sex with her." I exclaimed.

"Keep it down. I haven't had sex with anyone because I wanted it to be with the girl from that night but now that Sammie's told me, it doesn't feel right."

"You told us that all you could remember was the kiss right?" I asked while we never had deep conversations like this we did try to help each other out.

"Yeah I was completely drunk I don't remember much more except for her eyes."

"And you've snogged nearly every girl in the school?"

"Yes, didn't I just tell you that?" Sirius replied annoyed with my questions.

"Hey I'm just putting the pieces together. If you think about it, Sammie can't be the mystery girl she was seeing Damien at the time and you would have remembered kissing her. I'm sure you weren't that drunk. You would have remembered Sammie's kiss from before then and speaking from experience every kiss is different. Kayla was different to Marley who are both different to Lily. Of course neither of them compare to Lily. Kissing her is the best feeling ever so I'm sure if Sammie was the girl you were trying to find, you would know, hopefully she'll be my first and last." I finished.

"Your right. It can't be Sammie. She dumped me before then and I would have definitely remembered if it was her. I only got back with Sammie because she told me she was my mystery girl, I don't want a girl I don't love to be my first. " Sirius stated thinking out loud.

"So you figured it out. I only just found out she lied to you as well. I'm still not going to tell you who the mystery girl is not until she wants me too, but you're search is pretty small. I'm sure you'll figure it out." Lily said standing in the doorway covering Danni's ears with her hands.

"I should tell on you, Lily says you were saying naughty words." Danni jeered.

Sirius ignored her. "Is it Mary? Am I the reason why used to be quiet?"

"I can't tell you who it is. You can guess as many times as you want but I can't tell you until she wants me to you did hurt her though." Lily told me.

"Ahh good you're all downstairs." Mum said coming into the lounge room holding a tray of sandwiches.

"Mummy, James and Sirius were saying naughty words." Danni blabbed.

"James I could hear your conversation from the kitchen I don't want to hear any of you talking like that in front of Danni. I'm sure Lily doesn't want to hear it either." Mum reprimanded.

"Don't worry about it Mrs Potter, I mean Anne, I've heard about Sirius' mystery girl problems and it's nice to know that I'm different to other girls that James has kissed, but I bet Danni is his favourite." Lily said smiling at me.

"Well I don't know about you but as much as I love hearing about your relationships boys I don't think now is the time. How are you all doing at school? Lily I hear your Head Girl."

* * *

I couldn't believe that Sammie had lied to me. Sure she broke it off with me the first time because she started liking Damien and didn't want to cheat on either of us. I didn't think she would actually lie and pretend to be someone else just so she could date me again.

It was her last resort, thinking back to it she tried everything and when I still rejected her she played the 'I'm the mystery girl' card. It would hurt her reputation if she was rejected by me. Everyone thought I was the Hogwarts player. That's why they always told us we would be a matching pair and why everyone was shocked when we broke up. She came back from her holidays to start 6th year a mess. I even think she was drunk when she got on express.

We both agreed to be friends again seeing as we were both doing the same thing snogging people in broom closets, or shagging in her case. We became pretty close again and I nearly forgot that she dumped me for another guy. Almost forgot.

It was weird though, becoming close friends again with Sammie without Alice this time. Alice was an amazing friend at the time and then when we all came back for 6th year she only hung around Lily, avoided the rest of us like the plague. She wasn't even as close with Sammie as she used to be. I missed Alice's quirky attitude and her outrageous laugh. She had a cheeky personality and wasn't afraid to flirt with me or the other guys. She had gorgeous round brown eyes and.

"It's Alice isn't it? She's my mystery girl. That's why she stopped hanging around us after 5th year because I didn't remember it was her. I can't believe I've been such an idiot. For the last two years I could have been dating Alice and I was kissing all the girls in the school." I blurted out. Mainly to Lily but also to myself.

Why couldn't I have seen it earlier? Why couldn't I have asked her out before I asked Sammie out we could have had a long relationship like what James and Lily were going to have.

"Sirius, please don't mention this to Alice. At least not yet. I'll talk to her and try and get her to talk to you again." Lily told me.

* * *

"I'm home." Dad shouted from the door.

"Daddy," Danni screamed with glee and ran to meet him.

Mum, Lily, Sirius and I stood up and walked into the hall to meet him. I just hope Dad wasn't about to embarrass me in front of Lily like mum did.

"Ahh so you're all home." Dad grinned before turning to Lily. "And you must be Lily, how many love potions did it take for you to finally say yes to James. Although James definitely fell in love with the right girl."

"Oh stop it Drew, your embarrassing the poor girl. Lily we couldn't be happier that you and James are dating." Mum said trying to make up for dads ramble.

"What about me, are you happy for me?" Sirius joked. Although there was a serious question in it. My parents loved him like he was their second son.

"Of course Sirius, why wouldn't we be?" Mum replied.

"What about me?" Danni asked trying to include herself.

"Of course you're my special girl. I could never imagine my life without you." Dad told her picking her up.

"Why don't we all go back into the living room and I'll make us something to eat." Mum suggested.

"That would be great love. So boys how was the term. Who did you prank?"

"Um Mrs Potter, I mean Anne is it alright if I help you?" Lily asked her.

"Sure dear that would be great."

* * *

A/N

Ok so this is just a short chapter but I think sometimes short chapters are needed. What do you all think? Sirius knows it was Alice, James has a younger sister and Lily is staying with the Potters? Lily and James know that Sirius is a virgin and so is James. Looks like all three of them are waiting for the right person. Looks like Lily and James have found that person.  
Let me know if that chapter was a waste, I hope it wasn't.

SpringBabe


	20. The Truth Exposed

Chapter 20: The Truth Exposed

"So Lily what are you planning to do when you finish school?" Mr Potter asked me.

"Well I was thinking about becoming a healer or even an unspeakable." I replied.

"Wow I'm impressed, it takes a lot of work and determination for those jobs, although if I was you a healer would be a better job if you have a family or are in a relationship. I know a few marriages that haven't worked because one of them was an unspeakable. I guess it just depends on trust."

I looked to James and caught his gaze as he looked at me. The funny thing was that I could see myself marrying James and starting a family with him. Our children a mix of both of us, great at flying and top of their year, but would that work if I was an unspeakable. Would we be able to trust each other when I can't even tell him about my job?

"Drew I think that's enough we don't want to talk her out of a great job opportunity. So Lily James tells me that you're great at potions, what other subjects do you like?" Mrs Potter asked me.

"Oh I love Charms and Herbology. Out of all my subjects I find Transfiguration the most difficult." I told them between mouthfuls of dinner.

"Yes I had trouble with Transfiguration as well when I was in school. Luckily I just managed to scrape through as I needed it to become an Auror." Mrs Potter told me.

"What subjects are you taking?" Mr Potter asked.

"Well I'm taking Potions, Defence against the Dark Arts, Transfiguration, Herbology, Charms, Ancient Runes and Arithmacy. I was taking Astronomy up to this year but I thought it was a bit much to take on with the final year of NEWTS and Head Girl duties." I explained.

"Well that's two more than I did and I think that's one more than James is taking." Mr Potter told me. "So how are all you're classes? Sirius how's Muggle Studies is Alice still not talking to you?" The attention now not only just me.

"Yeah she's still not talking to me but I know why now, she's my mystery girl." Sirius replied looking down at his plate moodily.

"Oh that's good so now you know. To be honest I always thought that she was nicer than Sammie. Don't get me wrong Sammie's a wonderful girl but Sammie seems like…."

"Drew that's enough if everyone's finished eating I'll get Surly our house elf to bring out the desert." Mrs Potter said to me standing up and walking to the kitchen.

"You have a house elf, I didn't realise?" I asked confused since I helped Mrs Potter with dinner.

"Yes but mum likes to do everything the house elf does so really its mum helping Surly out." James explained.

Dessert was fabulous, Mrs Potter was a wonderful cook and James' family was lovely. Well I guess I can include Sirius in the family as well as the Potters look to him as a son.

"Ok Danni it's off to bed for you." Mr Potter warned.

"But dad I want to stay up with everyone else." Danni winged using puppy dog eyes on her parents.

"Come on sweetie you can stay up another night but not tonight." Mr Potter told her.

"Actually I'm getting tired as well; I should probably get some sleep." I told them all. "Goodnight I replied giving James a kiss.

I walked upstairs with Danni who was still very chatty for someone who was told to go to bed.

"Would you be able to tell me a story before you go to bed?" Danni asked when we got to her room.

"Sure what kind of stories do you like?"

"Well James usually tells me about the prince and the princess." Danni replied.

Her walls were swirls of pink and purple clashing together, and she had multiple pictures pinned up. Some she had drawn herself others were photos of her family. Nothing was on her floor but her bed was covered in soft toys I don't know how she was going to fit in it. The bookshelf was filled with books some stories for her others were James' old text books that I guess she'll get when she goes to Hogwarts. On the bookshelf were some photos. While Danni was getting ready for bed I inspected the photos. There was a really cute one of Sirius hoisting Danni over his shoulders, and there was a family picture where James was only twelve or thirteen and was holding baby Danni while their parents smiled down on them. From what I had seen James had a really good family and I think it is wonderful that Sirius fits into it so well.

"I hope I'm as pretty as you when I grow up." Danni startled me when she spoke having come back from the bathroom.

I looked at her with her dark hair and bright blue eyes she was going to be the It Girl at Hogwarts.

"Don't worry if you stay as beautiful as you are now, you'll be much prettier than me." I told her sitting on the edge of her bed where it wasn't occupied with soft toys.

"So this story about the prince and the princess what happens in it?" I asked her.

"Well there's this prince who goes to a palace that trains young princes and princesses into kings and queens of their country. The prince meets four great friends and the most beautiful princess he has ever seen but apparently she doesn't like him no matter what he does." Danni told me.

I blushed I think I knew the story very well. "You know what I think I know how this story ends."

"Really." Danni smiled brightly revealing two gaps of missing teeth that I didn't notice before. "James didn't know how to end it."

"Ok I'll try and hopefully you'll like it."

Danni got comfy hugging her soft toys and burrowing herself under her quilt before I began.

"Well the prince was worried about returning to the palace for his last year. It didn't feel right knowing that he was going to be graduating as a king without his princess by his side. The ruler of the school," I looked at Danni wondering what name James had made up for Dumbledore.

"King Dumbo James told me his name is." Danni said filling in the blanks.

"Well King Dumbo made the prince and the beautiful princess in charge of the other students at the palace. At first the princess hated the idea but a few weeks into the school year she realised that the prince had changed and was right about the princess all along. The princess soon realised how much fun the prince could be even if he sometimes got into trouble. Not long after that another Prince Slimy Sam wanted to kidnap the princess and keep her away from her prince. Slimy Sam succeeded and found a spell that clouded the princess' eyes so that she couldn't see the prince properly and she ended up thinking that the prince was bad."

Danni gasped. "What happened then?"

"Well Slimy Sam kidnapped the princess and took her to his palace which was a long way away from the training palace. The princess had no idea she was being kidnapped or that this wasn't her prince because she couldn't see him. Meanwhile the Prince and all his friends including the Princess's friends were trying to find a way to get her back. They tried every palace in the land and fought many trolls and ogres to find the princess."

"Did he find her?" Danni asked her full attention to the story.

"Well the very last palace they looked at the prince knew she was there, he felt something he had never felt before. His heart warmed up and his crown glowed showing that his true love was there. The only problem was that when he saw her she hid from him. Remember her eyes were clouded and she thought he was the evil one. The prince wasn't going to leave her there all alone with her eyes clouded. First he tried talking to her and telling her everything that happened but the princess shouted at him telling him that she didn't believe him. Next he tried to show her how he felt by producing a screen where he could project his memories but because her eyes were clouded the memories were blurry and didn't know what was happening. The prince knew he was running out of time, Slimy Sam was going to be back soon and then it would be too late. He could already hear Slimy Sam's footsteps coming closer. He did the last thing he could think of. He held the princess tightly so she wouldn't be able to run away from him but not too tightly so he would hurt her and kissed her. Slimy Sam opened the door at that moment and saw the prince kissing the princess. The cloudiness in the princess' eyes disappeared as soon as the prince kissed her and she saw her prince charming. Not only did the prince realise who were prince charming was but the kiss that broke the spell shattered many windows sending glass showering around them. Luckily the glass missed them or if it hit them the glass changed to rose petals landing on them."

* * *

"Did they live happily ever after, James never told me?" Danni asked Lily.

So Lily had taken my job of telling a bedtime story. It sounded like she had ended it.

"Oh yes the prince and princess went back to the training palace and everyone cheered seeing their new king around with his new queen. Slimy Sam was given and terrible punishment. He was banished from the land and no one saw him ever again." Lily told her.

"That's the end of the story Danni." I told her. "Is Lily better at telling the story or am I?"

Danni grinned cheekily revealing a missing tooth I didn't notice before. "Lily's better."

"Oh really I can always change your mind." I told her going over and tickling her.

"James you're not supposed to be razing her up when she's supposed to be going to sleep." Dad told me sternly having walked past her room.

"Thank you for the story Lily." Danni called out as I shut the door behind us.

"That story the prince and the princess, the one you tell Danni that's about us isn't it." Lily asked me.

"Yeah I wanted to tell her how much I liked you but she doesn't know that." I told her.

"Goodnight James." Lily told me kissing me on the cheek. "You have a wonderful family thanks for inviting me to stay here."

* * *

"Kids I've been called into work for a few hours can you watch over Danni for me." Mum told us, me mainly.

When I gave no reply mum glared at me.

"Yes I'll look after Danni but it's not like she's going to go anywhere." I replied sarcastically.

"Good, and no parties either, you can invite Remus and Sammie or a few of your friends over but no parties. I want this house clean when I get home since your cousins are coming over tomorrow." Mum said sternly.

"Don't worry Mrs P; Lily will have us in control." Sirius said winking at Lily.

"Yes well don't lead Lily astray." Mum replied stepping into the grate and flooing to the ministry.

"Danni you heard mum, I'm in charge." I told her shrugging off her reply of sticking her tongue out.

When Sirius stepped into the kitchen the flames in the grate turned green and instead of mum returning for something she had forgotten Sammie tumbled out gracefully.

"Hi," she greeted cheerfully to Sirius blank expression.

"What are you doing here?" He asked rudely.

"What I can't see my boyfriend?" Sammie asked hurt written across her face.

"Danni go get your coat and ask Lily if she wants to come to the park with us." I told Danni sensing a fight.

"Are Sirius and Sammie coming too?" Danni asked, not old enough to realise that they were about to have a fight.

* * *

"So what you're saying is that you only went out with me was because you thought I was your mystery girl?" Sammie asked me.

"No what I'm saying is that I only went out with you because you lied and you told me you were my mystery girl." I told her.

"Well it's not my fault that you got that drunk that you couldn't remember." Sammie shouted at me.

"Yes but you didn't have to lie to me. For once can you just tell me the truth I've never lied to you I've always trusted you with everything. "I told her keeping my voice down.

"Who says I don't tell you anything, I tell you the truth." Sammie replied flustered.

"Really because you lied to me to get me to go out with you, and you lied to me about the whole Alice incident. I asked you why Alice no longer talked to us and you told me that she found pranks immature and didn't want to hang out with us." I told her raising my voice.

"I never lied about liking you, that's the truth I really did and still do like you but it was obviously a mistake." Sammie told me upset. "I just really hated what I did to you the first time and wanted to make it right this time. I really did want to be your girlfriend and not just so I could be the first girl you slept with or the first girl you start dating but because I thought that we were similar and would be right for each other. I really thought that this time it would work and that you would have forgiven me for what I did to you with Lochie."

"What. Who's Lochie you told me that you started liking Damien when we were going out?" I asked her blocking the fireplace so she couldn't leave until I got answers.

"Oh so you never found out, good forget I even said anything." Sammie blabbed. "I really need to go I wasn't supposed to come over here in the first place."

"Sammie you are not leaving until you tell me what happened with you and Lochie." I growled slightly.

"Look you're really going to hate me but can you please let me go as soon as I tell you." Sammie pleaded looking worried like I would hit her.

It was obvious Sammie cheated on me. The first time we went out Sammie was seeing Lochie.

"I never really liked Damien, it was Lachlan Staypden I liked but Damien was my cover up and well Lochies as well. He was a 7th year and when it happened he told me that no one could ever find out he did it with a 5th year but he continued to flirt with me and flattered me constantly that I started to fall for him. I knew that what I was doing was wrong and I really wanted to tell you but I still really liked you I always have. So Lochie and continued and the guilt was too so I broke things off with you under the pretences of liking Damien." Sammie finished staring at me.

I was angry, hurt, disappointed. This happened two years ago and I was only hearing about this now. I didn't know what I was supposed to think, didn't know what I was supposed to feel. "Leave, just leave now I don't want to see you until we get back to school." I shouted at her stepping away from the fire place.

I can't believe that the rumours weren't far from the truth; everyone thought that I had cheated on Sammie when we first went out and that I had ruined her turned her into the heartbreaker. But she turned herself into that person and dating me again didn't change that. She just decided to hurt me again two years after it happened.

"Prongs, she's gone you can come back now." I said into my two way mirror trying to keep my anger at bay.

* * *

"Wow, Padfoot what happened?" I exclaimed not ignoring the crunching sound of glass under my boots.

"Hey Danni do you want to show me some of your toys we could play a game upstairs." Lily suggested knowing that I needed to talk to Sirius alone.

When they went upstairs I went to seek out Sirius all I had to do was follow the trail of broken glass and other smashed objects. I found him in the living room throwing whatever breakable items he could find at the wall.

"What happened Padfoot?" I asked hoping that we could repair most of this stuff.

"The bloody bitch cheated on me." Sirius snapped.

"Oh, but I thought you didn't like her anymore?" I asked maybe that was a stupid question I would be angry if anyone cheated on me.

"She didn't cheat on me this time she cheated on me the first time with some Lachlan wanker." Sirius replied chucking a glass at the wall. "You know the rumours that went around saying that I cheated on her she didn't even bother to correct them. Al those times I asked her what happened between us she just said we weren't meant to be and all that bull shit but she never told me the truth and I don't think she was ever going to."

"Ouch ok I can understand that your angry but can you please stop throwing the most expensive and breakable stuff." I said.

That made him laugh, let's hope he was out of whatever funk he had just gotten in. "Here I'll help you repair this stuff and then I'll go back to my place."

"You don't have too; you know this is your home as well." I told him.

"Yeah I know but what's the point of buying a house if you don't live in it?" Sirius asked me.

"True so are you going to be ok?" I asked worried that he was just going to demolish his stuff.

"Yes I'm Sirius Black I'll be fine I just wish I got smashed at that party two years ago then this wouldn't have happened and I would probably be with Alice." Sirius replied waving his wand at the broken objects.

"Wait do you like Alice I asked?" I didn't think that he did I thought that he only wanted to talk to her and sort out what happened at that party.

"Yeah I always have, I think I even liked her more than Sammie but she never seemed interested and I could never get her alone to ask, Sammie was always with her until we went out the first time." Sirius explained. "Now stop your yapping we need to get this cleaned up your mum will back soon."

"Too late." I moaned as the fire place turned green.

"What the hell happened here," Someone shrieked but it wasn't mum.

"Taliha." I shouted in surprise.

"Yes it's me, now normally I'm greeted in a more festive room what happened here?" She asked after she hugged both me and Sirius.

"Well Sirius found out that Sammie cheated on him the first time they went out and got a bit angry. We were just cleaning up when you came in." I told her hoping mum wasn't on her way.

"Well you might want to hurry up I ran into your mum at the ministry and she looked like she was ready to leave." Taliha explained.

Sirius and I both looked at each other and instantly began waving our wands.

"Taliha." Danni screamed with delight running down the stairs Lily following behind her but at a slower pace.

"Danni, my favourite girl how have you been?" Taliha asked.

"Good, Taliha you need to meet Lily." Danni told her excitedly.

"Who's Lily is she a friend of yours?" Taliha asked following Danni to where Lily is while Sirius and I continued cleaning up chucking out anything that couldn't be repaired.

"You didn't tell me she was beautiful and James' age." I heard Taliha say from the foot of the stairs.

"Yeah she's James' girlfriend." Danni said exaggerating on girlfriend.

"Let me guess you're Lily Evans and you finally gave in to James' pleas. Hi I'm Taliha James' and Danni's oldest cousin." Taliha said introducing herself.

"Nice to meet you Taliha and yes I am Lily Evans the one who constantly rejected James." Lily said.

"Well it's good you did because he finally grew up into a gentleman." Taliha grinned at me while I stuck my tongue out at her. "Well almost a gentleman."

Lily and Taliha got on really well and were discussing a lot of things while Sirius and I entertained Danni before mum got home.

"Taliha I thought you weren't coming until tomorrow?" I asked remembering what mum said today.

"Well I wasn't supposed to but something came up and I really needed a break and I wanted to surprise you all." Taliha told us. "So Sirius what made you chuck the Potter's most breakable objects around."

"Well you remember Sammie?" He asked her.

"Sure nice girl but didn't you two break up?" Taliha asked confused already.

"Well yeah we did but something happened and we started dating again. Turns out she lied to me so I would start dating again and then I wanted to end things but I found out that she cheated on me with some wanker the first time we went out." Sirius explained with as little detail as he could.

"Oh Sirius, I'm sorry." Taliha told him.

"What's a wanker and how did she cheat on you. Did she take an extra turn in chess when you weren't looking?" Danni asked interested in what we were saying.

I had forgotten that she was only five and wasn't supposed to know about this stuff until she was much older.

"A wanker is a very bad word that Sirius shouldn't be using so don't repeat it to anyone." Taliha told Danni.

"Well then why isn't Sirius getting a smack or sitting in the naughty corner?" Danni asked raising an eyebrow.

"I think we should send him to the naughty corner don't you?" Lily smirked at Sirius.

The girls grinned at each other wickedly as they came up with Sirius' fate, I was scared for him.

"Alright Sirius you are to hand your wand over and sit over in the corner for half an hour. James can you go get some rope we might have to tie him up, and you aren't allowed to participate in any conversations unless you want to talk to the wall." Taliha said evilly.

"Wait what I'm sorry I didn't mean to say it, it just slipped out." Sirius begged.

"Too bad you do the crime you pay the price." Lily smirked herding him to the isolated corner. "Wand please."

Sirius reluctantly handed over his wand and sat in the corner facing the wall while the three girls and I continued to talk and entertain Danni. I didn't want to go the same way as Sirius so I was careful with what was to come out of my mouth in front of my five year old sister.

* * *

**A/N**  
**Sorry it's been so long I've been slightly preoccupied but guess what it's a week till Christmas. I didn't realise I didn't mention how old Danni was but as I mentioned two lines above she's five. Sammie and Sirius are done or are they? Is Sammie going to seek revenge?**  
**Find out next time or don't if you really hate this story. Sorry I'm being corny.**  
**SpringBabe.**


	21. Christmas Cheer is Here

Chapter 21: Christmas Cheer is Here

"You did what?" Mum shrieked. I was just glad it wasn't directed at me or even Sirius. Taliha was never shouted at and it was nice to see it happen for once.

"It put too much strain on my relationship with Antonio and we were both unspeakable's. I don't want that to happen between me and Gideon." Taliha explained shortly trying to get in before mum started up again.

"But I just don't understand that's seven years of work that you're throwing away." Mum said even I was confused, I didn't even know Taliha and Antonio stopped dating they were nearly engaged.

"I didn't even know you were dating Gideon." I stated breaking up the small argument.

"Yeah we've been dating for a while. I didn't want it to come out until everyone was here but." Taliha said holding up her left hand showing of the glistening diamond ring.

Mum screamed with delight and instantly changed her attitude. "When's the wedding." Was the first question she asked?

"Next summer, of course you're all invited I was hoping Drew would want to walk me down the aisle?"

"Of course he'd be delighted. We have so much to do. As soon as Christmas is over we have a wedding to prepare. I can't believe Gideon; I thought that you were taking time off from dating after the shamble with Antonio. I've been working with both Gideon and Fabian for the last year and neither one said anything."

"We wanted to keep it quiet, we're both targets in the war, Gideon's an excellent dueller and my work has become an interest to You Know Who and his Death Eaters but when I told him I was considering resigning we decided that we'd make the engagement public once our families knew. I think only Fabian was the one who knew." Taliha explained.

Sirius and I held back as Mum and Lily fawned over the ring. Danni tried to fit in with the girls and I'm sure she thought it was a pretty ring but five year olds don't really care for expensive jewellery they like the colourful beads on elastic type of jewellery.

"Will you ever buy me a ring like this James?" Lily asked catching me off guard. She wasn't asking to marry me was she? Sure I wanted to spend the rest of my life with her. I couldn't not want to have her in my life but I hadn't even considered marriage.

Lily and Taliha laughed at my spluttered response. I'm sure I turned red. Mum had a bit of sympathy but Sirius was worse than the girls. His bark for a laugh was so loud it echoed off the walls.

"You should have seen your face, classic Lily." Sirius said still laughing.

"Well it seems like you've all had a good day. Does anyone want to tell me why the glass elephant from the vanity is missing?" Dad said speaking from behind us all.

I glanced at Sirius who tried to look away but Lily and Taliha were both looking at him.

"Never mind it's Christmas but Sirius you owe me an explanation later on. Taliha it's so good to see you but I didn't think you were coming till tomorrow." Dad said giving Taliha a hug.

"I wanted to surprise you all and for once I wanted to beat the others." Taliha grinned.

"Alright everyone dinner's ready." Mum shouted from the dining room.

I didn't even know she had left the room but we all filed out and sat down eying of the food mum had laid down on the table with Surly's help.

* * *

I really liked Taliha she was like how Petunia used to be before we found out I was a witch. She joked around and seemed like a carefree person that respected the rules even if she didn't exactly follow them. Timothy was a lot quieter and always seemed to be the one sitting slightly away from the bigger group of people. I don't think he's much of a talker either all he said to me was hi, so your Lily and walked off. Michaela was super sweet and really outgoing; she could easily outshine both James and Sirius within three seconds. It could have been because she was five months pregnant and just starting to show but her personality was really bubbly, she was the type who was liked by anyone I bet the Slytherin's liked her Michaela's husband Randy was just like her and really easy to get on with even Timothy seemed to like him. I was so jealous James had an amazing family that all enjoyed each other's company and all I had was Petunia who wanted nothing to do with me and blamed me for everything.

"It's a lot to take in isn't it?" Timothy said taking me by surprise as he sat down on the couch next to me.

Meeting James' family made me wish for my family, my parents especially but I wanted to see my uncles and aunties again and know them like James knows his cousins.

"I like it I wish my family was like this, all I have now is my older sister." I told him holding back the tears.

"Really why isn't she here, I would have thought that Anne and Drew would invite her to stay as well. They love having guests and when Michaela started dating Randy they invited his parents and sister over few a few days." Timothy asked not knowing about my family.

While all my friends and the Potter's knew about my parents and my sister wanting nothing to do with me James' cousins didn't really know much about me.

"Well I'm a muggle born and my sisters a muggle." I explained. "When I got accepted to go to Hogwarts Petunia wanted nothing to do with me and thought I was a freak. When my parents were murdered she blamed me because they were murdered by Death Eaters and now she wants nothing to do with me." I let the tears fall embarrassed that I was crying in front of someone I don't really know.

"I'm so sorry I didn't know." Timothy said awkwardly and sympathetically.

"It's fine really I didn't expect you to know. So why aren't you with everyone else?" I asked.

"Well I never really grew up with them. My mum, Anne's sister died in child birth not with me but with my little brother who also didn't make it. I was three at the time and didn't get to know her. Dad became unstable and really depressed so Anne offered to look after me while dad got back on his feet but Dad refused and fled the country with me before a custody battle could begin. I didn't even know that Taliha was my cousin when I meet her on the way to Hogwarts. It wasn't until my dad got sick that I found out I had a bigger family and when he passed away during my seventh year Drew and Anne finally introduced themselves to me." Timothy finished.

"I am so sorry" I gasped. I had no idea he had such a miserable past. "I really should stop wanting to know people's pasts."

"It's only fair that you should know a bit about me, after all with the way that you and James look at each other you will become part of the family." He stated standing up to go and greet Mr Potter who had just come back from work.

"Drew you look flustered what happened at work." Mrs Potter fussed when she saw her husband.

"Not here, this is important and private." Mr Potter told Mrs Potter dragging her upstairs.

"What do you thinks going on?" I found myself asking Michaela who was standing next to me.

"I don't know but I'm going to find out." Michaela smirked.

"I don't think that's a good idea Kayla," Randy warned, "too much strain will be put on the baby if you have to run away if you get caught."

"Fine." Michaela groaned before adding to me that he was such a worry wart under her breath.

"I'll find out," Taliha said pushing her way through and up the stairs.

* * *

"I don't believe it, are you sure that's what you heard?" I asked I'm sure I was as white as Sirius and Lily.

"Yes, this Deran kid has somehow managed to escape and it sounds like he had outside help." Taliha said once again.

"They better find him quick, what he did to those girls was fucking disgusting, there is no way he can walk free." Sirius spat.

"Calm down Sirius I'm sure Anne and the Auror's will start searching immediately." Michaela sympathised patting his shoulder to calm him down.

"No they won't its Christmas tomorrow and Anne promised that she wouldn't go into work for any reason after missing last years." Sirius stated outraged.

"Calm down mate, it will work out. Deran's an idiot and no one is going to want to protect him. I'm sure he will be found in no time." I said with a lot of hope that what I was saying was true.

"They need to put a big price on his head; he could molest any girl he wants now that he's out." Lily shuddered.

"Shhh, they're coming down now act normal." Randy said making more noise then he should have.

"So I'm guessing you already know. Yes Deran is out and yes we will find him so don't you worry but we both have to go into work tonight to sort this out." Mum said grabbing a coat for herself and dad before walking out.

"When you guys go to bed please make sure that you don't wake up Danni." Dad said and shut the door behind him.

"Shit." I swore a few minutes after both dad and mum left.

"James." Lily scowled glaring at me.

"Sorry but every year mum and dad decorate the house and put the presents under the tree for Danni. They hate leaving it up to Surly." I explained. "But considering what happened they aren't going to be home in time to do it or they'll be exhausted when they get home."

"Well come on then, let's get started I think I remember how everything goes." Michaela said drawing her wand.

"Just wait it's not late enough, someone needs to check on Danni to make sure she really is asleep and then we can start." Sirius said wanting to make this perfect for Danni as well.

Lily went to check on Danni while Randy, Timothy and Sirius went to go get the presents from mum and dad's room waiting for my okay through Sirius' mirror while Michaela, Taliha and I worked out what decorations needed to go up and where.

"She's sound asleep. What do you need me to do?" Lily asked quietly.

"You can help us with the decorations where just deciding on what to use, I think they're all down in the basement." I said getting up and leading the way down.

"James aren't you forgetting something?" Taliha asked.

"What no?"

"Sirius and the other two." Taliha sniggered.

"Oh yeah." I said pulling out my mirror. "Sirius it's all safe you can come out."

There were a lot of decorations in the basement, some I hadn't seen before, actually a lot I hadn't seen before.

"Ok grab the stuff that needs to be hung up." I directed grabbing a box of what looked like tinsel and stumbled up the stairs.

I hated the basement, when I was little I thought it was cool finding all mum and dads old junk there was even stuff that had been passed down in the generations but now it was a reminder that in the pureblood families nothing ever changed. Plus no one had turned on the lights so it was dark and everything made tall looming shapes that reminded me of the dark things happening outside the house.

"You have a lot of stuff down there how many generations do you think it's gone through?" Lily asked me carrying red, green and gold streamers.

"Dunno maybe four or five but we hardly ever look through it." I replied.

* * *

"It's Christmas, It's Christmas. Wake up everyone its Christmas." Danni screamed excitedly waking me up from my pleasant dream.

It was a recurring dream where James I got married. Sirius was his best man, Alice was my maid of honour and Sammie, Mary and Silvia my bridesmaids. Remus, Peter and some guy I don't know were James' groomsmen. James looked extremely handsome in his jet black suit and I wore the most amazing dress.

"Come on everyone it's Christmas, wake up James, wake up Sirius." Danni shouted pounding on their bedroom doors.

Worried that she was about to knock down my door I grabbed a gown and opened the door revealing the already dressed five year old.

"Danni, it's six in the morning, it's the holidays can't you stay in bed for I don't know another three hours." James groaned flinging open his bedroom door revealing his toned chest and a maroon pair of boxers.

He looked really sexy with bed hair that is actually messier than his normal everyday hairstyle and his glasses askew. His voice was a lot deeper and huskier as well adding to the sexiness.

"Well now that your awake hurry up and get dressed there are presents to open." Danni grinned excitedly practically bouncing off the walls.

"Alright but you're the one waking Sirius up." He mumbled as he went back into his room to get changed shutting the door behind him.

Wanting to see what Sirius' reaction to being woken up was I followed Danni to the room Sirius was staying in.

"You might want to watch out; he normally throws something at the first person he sees." Danni warned me.

I had heard that Sirius was a pain to wake up and I remember one of the boys saying that the only way to get him up was to pour water over him.

"How exactly are you going to wake him up?" I asked worried that he was going to hurt her, but then again Sirius loved Danni as if she was his own sister.

"I'll tickle him." Danni grinned wickedly.

Danni launched herself onto Sirius' bed and crawled on top of him where she started to tickle him. It must be only Danni who wakes him up like that because Sirius' eyes snapped open and he pulled her into a tight bear hug only to tickle her instead.

"I'll be going then, I have to get changed." I said more to them but I was sure they didn't hear me over Danni's high pitched squeals as she pleaded for mercy.

* * *

"Shh if we're lucky Danni will still be asleep and we can get a few minutes sleep before her wake-up call." Dad whispered to mum as they silently crept through the front door and the hallway.

Michaela coughed and startled them both that they jumped two feet into the air. They made their way into the living room to find that we were all sitting patiently waiting for them to come home. Only Danni was wide awake while the rest of us were wishing we were back in bed asleep.

"Or maybe not." Mum replied.

"Present Time." Danni shouted picking up the biggest one addressed to her.

It didn't take long for the room to be filled with wrapping paper flying everywhere from Danni constantly ripping it off her presents and throwing it into the air. The rest of us took a slower approach mainly because we couldn't get to the tree but unlike Danni we weren't throwing wrapping paper everywhere when we got to unwrap our presents.

Peter had gotten Sirius Lily and I a big box of Bertie Bolts every flavour beans, Remus and Sirius each got me a prank master's kit, while Mary, Alice and Sammie each got me an assortment of prank items and sweets. I was slightly disappointed with what Lily got me; she got me a book on how to treat your girlfriend right. A book that's all she got me. Plus it wasn't like I didn't treat her right. After all I got her expensive perfume that Sammie told me she liked and I got a cheap arsed book. Maybe she wanted to dump me. At least the presents from mum and dad were better. They had given me a professional broom cleaning kit, some new robes, sweets and tickets to the Puddlemere United match just before we went back to Hogwarts.

"Thank you for your present how did you know that it was my favourite perfume and how did you afford it. What did you think of your present?" Lily asked me brightly.

Not wanting to disappoint her I replied with, "It's great I can't wait to read it."

"Awesome I was hoping you would like it." She grinned before unwrapping the last of her presents.

"So what did Lily give you?" Sirius asked me.

"Oh I'm sure that's a great book." Sirius barked with laughter when I showed him.

Trying to forget about Lily's disappointing present I focused on what everyone else had gotten. Michaela and Randy got a collection of baby items, while Timothy and Taliha got an assortment of things.

* * *

Him thinking that the book was his actually present was too funny to think. I could see it in his eyes how disappointed he was even if he tried to sound over the moon when he said it was great. I could guarantee that he wouldn't even open the cover which is sad because the start of his real present was in there, but even if he didn't I was still going to go ahead with the plan and hope that Sirius would be able to suggest what was happening.

I didn't even know if James would like it. Sirius had told me that James liked gifts that meant something to him I wasn't sure if he would like this not after he spent a fortune on me. Sure I bought him a gift as well but it was nowhere near as much as he paid for mine I know how much perfume costs especially the brand he got me.

I didn't want to use up all my ideas tonight I was saving some for his birthday so his present was that I had managed to get his Puddlemere United robes signed by contacts through Slughorn and desert outside just behind his house. I had help from Alice who came over while the boys went to practise Quiditch and help set the place up. I was going to ask for Sammie's help but considering with everything that had happened I wasn't sure if we were still friends.

Thankfully Alice and Mary had given me a new jacket that was designed for weather like tonight's and I had a pair of stockings that went with my green dress. All I needed was for James to open that damn book and find the instructions for tonight.

I could always hint at it but I didn't want him to catch on. Sirius, Sirius could always help. I was half dressed and I didn't want James to see what I was wearing so I grabbed my dressing gown and went to Sirius' room.

* * *

"Hey James, that book Lily got you it doesn't say anything about getting the girl to go out with you does it." Sirius asked me.

"I don't know it's about treating your girlfriend right so I doubt it." I replied not wanting to talk about that book.

"Oh well do you think it has anything about what to say to your lying cheating ex's?" Sirius asked.

"Padfoot if it doesn't say anything about winning a girl over I don't think it's going to help you with your problem with Sammie." I said moodily throwing the book at him.

It bounced off his chest and landed on the floor opened up to the middle of the book.

"Well you don't have to be so bloody moody about it even Sammie gave me a better present and she isn't my girlfriend." Sirius said cheerfully obviously trying to bait me into starting something.

Well it worked. I picked the book up and slammed it over his head.

"Alright I see that this a sore point with you so I'll leave you to it but you may want to pick up that piece of parchment before Danni or someone else comes in and reads it." Sirius chuckled.

I had no idea what he was talking about but when I turned around I saw that something had fallen out of the book.

'James I hope you don't think that this is your Christmas Present. What kind of girlfriend would I be if I gave you this? Meet me outside in the little clearing behind your house at 8:30, dress smartly and come alone. Lily.'

Well I had approximately 15 minutes to get ready and meet Lily.

* * *

**A/N**

**Ok so it's not a great chapter but I'm just trying to pass time there will be some boring chapters so sorry about that but I have plans to make it interesting again soon. Thanks for sticking with the story I know that I haven't updated for a while but for those that have been waiting for this chapter thank you.  
SpringBabe. **


	22. The End of 1977

Chapter 22: The end of 1977

_Lily I'm sorry I've put you in the middle and I'm guessing that you don't think of me as a friend anymore. I'm sending this to you now because I didn't want it to ruin your Christmas. You and James, you're perfect for each other you deserve to be happy and in love. Me I know that I don't deserve it not when I've messed with people's hearts. I cheated on Sirius, I lied to Sirius, I pretended to be Alice, and I basically stole Alice's identity just to get the guy. Please just let Sirius know that this second time I wanted it to work, I really did. Yes the first time I thought it was cool and that I would be the queen of the school if everyone know I was cheating on Sirius but now, now I know that it isn't ok to be the Hogwarts Heartbreaker because while I'll broke all those guys hearts especially Sirius' I broke mine as well and I deserved it I'm not going to pretend I didn't. Please Lily I'm asking for your forgiveness for putting you through this I know how much you like Sirius (as a friend I mean) and Alice please whatever you do if you consider to be friends with me again don't reject Alice chose her first, she did nothing wrong we just liked the same guy and I played dirty to get him.  
Lil's I just wanted to let you know that I really don't want to be the Heartbreaker anymore I was trying so hard to push away from that lifestyle I had gotten myself into and I really want to go back to who I was.  
Samantha. _

There was one thing I knew about Sammie, she never called herself Samantha. She really wanted to let go of her old life, she really did and I felt sorry for her but I just couldn't believe that she would do that to Sirius and Alice. I never thought she would go that low, yet she had never not been there for me when I needed her. I would ramble on about how I hated James and Sirius and how I wished Petunia would like me and whenever I cried Sammie was always there holding me and telling me it would be alright. Sammie was the one who made me see that James was perfect and I never believed that was possible. She made the impossible believable. So why couldn't I tell her I forgave her for what she did. It wasn't like she did it to me.

Maybe if I gave it time to think about it. I just couldn't believe what I was doing. Normally I forgave people on the spot when they apologised but a lot had happened this year, a lot had changed I had changed.

The biggest change. I was no longer a virgin. I couldn't believe it I Lily Evans who believed I was going to be the only girl in the school without a boyfriend had finally had sex and it was amazing. I wasn't the innocent little girl. Maybe that was why I couldn't forgive Sammie she had given her virtue to a guy that didn't care when Sirius would have.

James would never take advantage of me like that. He proved it the morning after when he told me that I had given him the best Christmas present ever and he just seemed more in love. I was more in love. I couldn't believe it I was in love with James Potter. Never in my wildest dreams would I have thought that. No one who knew me a year ago would have thought that. Everyone thought I was a bitch to him. To be honest they were right. For five six years I was a bitch to James and I had finally taken down my guard to finally see something amazing. I saw the real James Potter and he brought out the real Lily. He always believed there was something more.

* * *

Lily had given me the best Christmas present ever. Three days on and I just wanted to remember it forever. If I could I would repeat that night over and over again. I swear I was in love with Lily Evans. I always wanted to be and some part of me was scared that I would finally get her and never love her but after that night those doubts left.

It started off as just fondue. I think we both thought that was all it was going to be, fondue and me getting my Puddlemere united jersey back signed by all the players and even some of the past players. Then we got kissing and I mean really kissing. Before we knew it there was that lust that had just consumed us we were both ready for this moment. Well I was ready she had already experienced this. All I could hope was that I wouldn't mess it up. I didn't want to scare off the girl I loved even if I knew Lily wouldn't be that shallow to dump me because I wasn't great in bed. Well we weren't in bed that night so I guess I can't say that.

I know Sirius is going to be jealous when he finds out I'm no longer a virgin he was already upset when he found out Lily wasn't a virgin everyone believed she was some innocent girl who was a bit of a nun and only I am the one who knows who she really is.

"Hey baby," Lily purred into my ear. She must have crept into my room without me noticing.

I had always imagined that somewhere Lily had a kinky side to her but I never expected her to.

"Hey." I replied pulling her down on top of me so I could cuddle her.

"You know ever since that night I've never stopped thinking about how much I love you." Lily admitted.

"Same, I never thought I would lose my virginity so young and it feel so right." I told her.

"Same here, that night with you just felt so right I'm glad you were my first." She whispered in my ear.

"Wait what?" I said sitting up with shock.

Lily looked confused and slightly upset. "What?"

"You just said that I was your first but you told us all that you weren't a virgin when we were showing the others our dorm." I explained.

"I thought I told you. I lied that day; I didn't want you guys to think I was some unwanted girl who couldn't get a boyfriend. I actually tried really hard during the summer holidays to get guys to notice me." Lily admitted. "I'm glad that I don't have to do that with you, you like me for who I am the real me that not many people see or know."

"That's why I love you. Because I know the real you and always have." I told her kissing her on the forehead to show that I cared.

"I know and I love you, no matter what I did to you or said to you, you were always back and never gave up on me." Lily smiled and snuggled into me.

After a long silence of just enjoying the feel of our bodies snuggled up together Lily broke the silence.

"Sammie sent me a letter this morning. Apparently she did like Sirius but she just had her priorities muddled up and chose her reputation before her feelings."

"You know that does sound like Sammie. She's always been a great friend but sometimes she'll go for something and not notice that others are getting hurt in the process."

* * *

"Alice you came." I shrieked with delight going up and greeting her with a hug. She looked gorgeous in the blue dress she was wearing and almost as tall as the guy standing next to her in the stunner heels she was wearing.

"Lily hi how was your Christmas; this is Frank my boyfriend I told you about." Alice said introducing me.

"Nice to meet you Frank," I said as he smiled acknowledgement at me. Damn I was hoping that her relationship with Frank wasn't as serious as it looked so she could at least give Sirius a chance to talk to her but now it looked like Sirius wasn't going to get his mystery girl.

"Well I'll see you a bit later I'm going to find Mary." I told them really I wanted to find Sirius and warn him that he wasn't going to get a chance with Alice tonight.

"Was that Alice? Who was that guy with her since when did she have a boyfriend?" Sirius asked me having already found me.

"Yes I'm sorry I know how much you wanted to talk to her and how much you were hoping for her to return your feelings but she's apparently been seeing him for a while now." I explained trying to spare his feelings being hurt.

"Oh alright then, it wasn't like I was in love with her anyway." Sirius sighed trying to put on a brave face. "By the way Mary was looking for you."

* * *

"So what's a gorgeous girl like you doing wondering around all alone on a night like tonight?" A guy who looked like he was around about my age said stepping out of the shadows.

Drat I was just about to apparate. I was intentionally going to the Potter's annual New Year's Eve party but after Sirius didn't want to see me I thought it would be best if I missed this year but I didn't want to go the quiet house and spend New Year's Eve alone. Mum and Dad were at the ministry's party while Michael and Courtney were both at different parties.

He wasn't that bad looking but nothing spectacular. After spending the last seven years around James and Sirius you start to believe that there is no one hotter. He had curly red hair, hazel eyes, and had a tall lanky figure. I would have mistaken him for an old family friend Arthur Weasley if it wasn't for the absence of freckles and the knowledge that Arthur would have been in his mid-20's by now.

"I'm waiting for some friends before heading to a party if you want to tag along." He said.

"Look no offense but I'm trying to start a fresh new year away from parties and drunken crowds." I replied trying to shake him off. He seemed nice enough but I had been warned about strangers by many people. I wanted to go to this so called party and I knew that if it turned into a hoax I could easily get away from a group of muggles. I just didn't want to get drunk for once in my life.

"Well the year hasn't started yet; you still have tonight before you start over. I'm William by the way." The boy grinned flashing bright white teeth.

"Tempting, my name's Sammie. So William if I go to this party am I supposed to be your date?" I asked. There wasn't anything harmful about a bit of flirting after all I was a witch he was a muggle I wasn't going to get hurt.

"Well I wouldn't pass up on the opportunity to say no to an incredibly hot girl like you. Besides you'll give me-"

"Oi Will are we going tonight or are you going to wait until the year is over." A dark haired boy shouted from across the street.

"So are you coming or not. I promise I don't have a girlfriend who'd get angry at you." William said holding out his hand.

I took it agreeing with the fact that the year wasn't up and I still had four more hours to go before I started fresh.

* * *

"Alice please I'm begging you just give me a chance." I heard Sirius plead, I was worried that I was going to enter the room and see him on his knees begging.

"I can't Sirius. It really hurt knowing that you had no idea who I was and that you're only after one thing from me." Alice snapped. "I thought we were best friends Sirius and then you couldn't even remember who I was laughing it off with the others about how it must have been a great night almost screwing some chick you didn't know."

Sirius kept pushing for her to give him a chance. "Alice I remember some things from that night. I remember your eyes and how easily I could get lost in the how easily I can now. Plus there was defiantly a spark in that kiss, I know because no one has ever been the same."

"Stop Sirius it's over it has been for the last three years. I almost jeopardised everything that year. I thought I was going to lose my friendship with you when I was keeping Sammie's secret then I thought that I was going to my virginity to you when we were both too drunk to every put two words together. The good thing now after everything I know who I can trust and who I should be dating. I don't need someone who gets so drunk that they can't remember the night before or a friend that asks you to keep stuff from your other friend. The good thing is I grew up after that year and I realised what I needed."

"But is it what you wanted, do you really want to lose Sammie as a friend do you really want to lose the fact that you, me and Sammie were best friends when I wasn't with the marauders and you weren't with the girls. We always used to flirt with each other and get alone so well."

Alice interrupted him. "Sammie, she was the one who you flirted with more. You chose Sammie first and after her you chose me. The second time, Sammie came first and now you want me. I don't like being chosen second."

It sounded like one of them was walking away, Alice I think but Sirius called her back.

"That's not true. I enjoyed hanging out with you more. Besides it was Sammie that chose me both times and Sammie that hurt me both times. Those other girls the ones I supposedly had sex with the most that happened was that I snogged them. Nothing more. They girls spread the rumours and I have to admit I enjoyed the attention I got with everyone thinking I was a man whore. No I don't want to be, but the reason I snogged them all was because I was trying to find you. Why do you think I never had a serious relationship with anyone of them? I only went out with Sammie that second time was because she told me she was you. I wish that I saw you leave. That you didn't leave until I got to see who you were. I regret being that drunk but one thing came out of it. I really believe that I have feelings for you." Sirius said pouring out everything that had happened from then to now.

"It's too late for that, I can't help you, I'm with Frank and you can't change that." Alice stated.

It went quiet but I thought I heard someone get pushed against the wall. I came out from behind the wall and saw Sirius kissing Alice passionately and Alice letting him not pushing him away or doing anything to stop him.

"Alice what is this?" A man, Frank I'm guessing asked having entered the room carrying to glasses of butter beer.

"Nothing Frank, it's nothing. James here just dared Sirius to kiss me." Alice stammered thinking up a lie and of course she had to include me in it.

"Is that right." Frank said standing right in front of me and staring me in the face. "Well next time make sure that you don't include my girlfriend in your dares."

He handed Alice her glass and protectively dragged her out of the room. While Sirius who looked dishevelled wiped the lipstick off his lips.

* * *

"What are you doing to my drink?" I giggled grabbing it from Will. I was glad he brought me to this party it was better than staying at home alone. It was really fun and Will was really sweet if he was a wizard I would probably date him.

"Nothing babe, just mixed a few concoctions together hope you like it." I had turned the first two drinks into fire whiskey without anyone noticing but I was interested in what this one tasted like.

I wish that I had turned it into fire whiskey it was revolting I nearly threw it back up but Will looked impressed that I kept it down. I was bored though I came to this party hoping I could flirt a bit with Will but he didn't seem interested like he was waiting for someone.

I scanned the crowd noticing that he's attention was on someone else. A blonde haired ditz that reminded me of that Chloe chick in our year. "Is that your girlfriend you told me you didn't have?" I teased.

"No she's my ex I was just seeing who she was with." He replied.

Right now I had a plan. "What to make her jealous." I purred in his ear turning on my flirting once again. "Let's dance."

He followed my lead and we started dancing or more like grinded against each other to the music. I was satisfied to see that he was enjoying himself and didn't notice the blonde slut staring at him before locking her ferocious eyes on me.

Growl let the games begin. Like I kept telling myself it didn't matter what happened tonight because after midnight I was going to go home and start fresh.

* * *

I actually thought that Sammie would show, according to James she always did and I was surprised that she let her break up with Sirius affect her that much. She always loved a party and this one rivalled the Gryffindor parties.

"Hey, whatever's going on between them they'll sort it out?" Mary said knowing that I was thinking about Sammie.

"Yeah but this times worse. Sammie lied to Sirius, betrayed Alice and lied to us." I replied. I wanted to be friends again with Sammie I really did but I didn't want to ruin my friendship with Alice.

"Look its half an hour to 12 on New Year's Eve. Go find James and I'll go find someone else to share the first kiss of the year with." Mary said getting to her feet and pulling me up.

I had danced with all my friends, Randy and even Gideon and his brother Fabian who were quiet the jokesters. I had danced the most with James but always with Sirius a few times to keep him from thinking about either Alice or Sammie. When I needed a break I talked to Mary, Michaela, Taliha and Alice whenever they weren't dancing or with Remus and Peter when they weren't occupied. I had seen Mary start to put herself out there and ever talked to Remus, Peter, Sirius and James while I was occupied with Danni. Mary was right I needed to find James if I wanted to have my first New Year's Eve kiss with my boyfriend.

He was dancing with Danni and Sirius when there was a massive explosion right outside the house. I was almost next to James and Mary wasn't far behind me with Remus and Peter.

"What was that?" Mary asked me.

I looked to James and Sirius to see if they knew what it was but they were both as shocked as the rest of us. It wasn't until a voice boomed outside that the six of us turned white. That voice I wanted to forget but it's hard to forget the voice of the guy who tried to take advantage of you or in Mary's case succeed.

Deran.

And according to Timothy and Mrs Potter who were near the window he had friends.

Deran and Death eaters what a duo. Why wasn't I surprised that he was one of them.

* * *

"My dress unzips at the back." I groaned fumbling with his belt.

I still had half an hour might as well make the most of my old life why I still could. I still had time and I was still going to leave at 12 I was determined to start the year fresh.

I tingled as I felt his fingers against my skin as he unzipped my dress and I wasn't going to give up with his jeans.

* * *

"James take Danni and Lily and hide." Mum screamed her wand drawn as she hurried to join Dad and the Prewett twins by the front door waiting for it to blast open.

I knew where she wanted us to go; I think Lily was surprised as she reluctantly followed me upstairs. I could see it in her eyes she wanted to help the others. Sirius had left, I think he grabbed Mary and bolted to the fireplace. Remus had joined my parents and cousins by the door although Randy had pushed Michaela behind him protectively.

"Wouldn't the basement be better?" Lily asked after she asked what happened to the others.

We were almost at the first room, my room but the hiding place was in Danni's.

"Wait James where are we going because for Danni's sake I think we should hide." Lily said trying to yell quietly. Not that it's possible.

"Look we have a spot. Danni you know what to do." I said to her when we reached her room.

Lily stood by the door checking to make sure no one was coming as Danni and I lifted up the rug to reveal a secret door in her floor.

"Close the door quickly and follow Danni I'll be right behind you." I told her knowing that I'd need to make sure the rug was covering the trap door.

Lily needed to close the door because all the other rooms on the floor were closed and that way it won't look as suspicious.

"I can't believe you have this, you really are prepared." Lily gushed but stayed quiet as she crouched down besides Danni.

"It's going to get dark." I warned just before I closed the door leaving us sitting in the dark.

* * *

**A/N**  
**Sorry to leave it there but if I don't stop now I never will. I'm sorry I didn't go into detail with James' real present from Lily but I didn't want to go into detail about the sex. Same with Sammie and the muggle boy. I didn't want to go into detail, it's just not me so if anyone is disappointed because of that I'm sorry but get over it read fifty shades of grey if that's your style. :p**  
**until next time.**  
**SpringBabe**


	23. Sometimes the Good get Hurt

Chapter 23: Sometimes the Good Get Hurt

"James I'm tired and it's so dark down here." Danni whinged.

"I know it is but will just have to wait a bit longer, mum and dad will come and tell as when it's safe as soon as they can." I reassured her pulling into a tight hug so she could feel my body against hers and know that I was with her.

My other arm was around Lily's waist, I just needed to know that she was there; it was the only thing keeping me sane. I'm just glad that she was here as well. If this happened when it was just me and Danni or just me I would have died of boredom, literary. I would have been that bored that I would have entered the duelling unprepared. Having Lily here gave me a reason to stay; actually I would have stayed for Danni as well. I just knew that I had to protect them they were my favourite girls they both shouldn't be down here at all.

"I just casted a spell, I don't know if it worked because I casted it non-verbally but it's supposed to stop the person above us from hearing us." Lily explained shuffling slightly to pocket her wand.

"Where did you learn a spell like that I know we haven't learnt that yet?" I asked slightly surprised but not surprised that she knew a spell like that if anyone was going to know a spell out of the curriculum it would be Lily.

"I remember Snape using it whenever we were in the library; I've never used it before so it might not work." Lily explained then looked to Danni. "She looks tired maybe a lullaby will help."

"Maybe, this is the first time we've had to come down here and I don't think anyone's ever sang her a lullaby, everyone knows I can't sing." I replied quickly still hugging Danni who looked like she wanted to go to sleep but she was too scared to.

"Alright this is for kids I remember mum used to sing it to Petunia and I when we couldn't sleep when we were little kids." Lily mentioned before moving slowly in the dark to where Danni was sitting.

Danni nestled into me as Lily began to sing in an angelic voice.

"Golden slumbers kiss your eyes;  
Smiles await you when you rise.  
Sleep,  
Pretty baby,  
Do not cry,  
And I will sing a lullaby.

Cares you know not,  
Therefore sleep,  
While over you a watch I'll keep.  
Sleep,  
pretty darling,  
Do not cry,  
And I will sing a lullaby."

When Lily had finished I looked to see that Danni had dozed off.

"You have a beautiful voice, thank you for putting her to sleep." I whispered to Lily careful not to make any big moves in case I woke Danni up, sure Danni wasn't three but she was still a little girl who shouldn't be awake hiding in a dark secret basement from Death Eaters.

She really did look adorable when she slept it was hard to believe that she was five, when she slept she looked like a gorgeous toddler and when she was awake she acted like she was five or older.

Lily and I sat in silence for what seemed like for ages when light blinded us.

"Don't worry Prongs, we caught some for you the sleaze Deran tried to get away but Moony stopped him." Sirius boomed cheerfully.

"Shh, Lily hissed pointing to Danni asleep in my lap.

"Oh right, here I'll take her and put her to bed while you two get yourselves out." Sirius suggested coming down the steps to get Danni.

* * *

11:55 time to think about leaving. I really wanted to be out of this place by 12. I wish that I had the courage to go to the Potters, maybe if I got out of here right now I could apparate in time for the big count down. Say high to the others and act like Sirius and I never attempted another relationship.

"I really need to go." I groaned annoyed that William wasn't letting me go.

"Why do you have a secret boyfriend that you need to kiss at 12 on the dot?" William joked.

"No but I do have to be home by 12 so please let me get up so I can go." I begged slightly and I'm not a beggar. Shows how much I wanted to start my new life.

"Fine but a couple of us are meeting again tomorrow morning for some after celebrations drinks in the same park I saw you if you want to join."

"Sure, sounds fun maybe I'll see you there if I have nothing planned." I lied focusing solely on zipping my dress up.

I wasn't going to go; I wasn't going to see William again that's just how this was going to work if I was going to start fresh in four minutes time.

"Well tonight was fun, thanks' for inviting me I had a great time." I told him then rushed out the door, downstairs and then out the house, around the corner where I disapparated to the Potter's hoping I hadn't missed the countdown.

* * *

We had only been hiding for 20 minutes but because it was so dark and James and I both felt obliged to help fight it felt like hours. I expected the sun to be rising when it hadn't even reached 12 yet.

"Oh my God what happened?" Sammie exclaimed standing in the Potter's front doorway looking slightly dishevelled.

I thought she was going to try and be her old self before she cheated on Sirius but maybe she had spent too long as the Heartbreaker that this was who she really was.

"Are you all alright?" Sammie asked running over to give me a hug.

All the doubts I had about not knowing whether I could be friends with her went out the window of course I could. We had been through seven years together and she would be by my side no matter what the least I could do for her was be by her side and help her get through everything she had done, stand by her when people called her a slut and other names. Nothing needed to change.

"I'm fine; James hid me and Danni while the Death Eater's fought." I reassured her. A loud boom went off again and once the dust cleared up I could see two bodies lying lifeless on the ground.

One was Remus, the other was Michaela.

"No, Remus please wake up." I screamed moving over to where Remus was lying as Randy rushed to his wife. Blood was seeping through Remus' hair and onto the recently polished floor.

"Sammie, James can you get me a cloth or something I need to put pressure on this now." I told them.

* * *

I can't believe I didn't even think to look around and see if anyone was alright. I was too absorbed in making sure Lily was all right, even if I knew she was it just gave me something to do. Made me look like the protective boyfriend. In doing that I didn't even notice that Remus and Michaela had been blasted to the ground and that Deran had gotten away.

Sammie had sprinted after Deran and both Sirius and Danni who had obviously woken up from the noise came racing downstairs, great just what we needed for Danni to be down here.

"Sirius take Danni upstairs now." I shouted at him while handing Lily a damp cloth.

Randy was checking for Michaela's pulse, Lily was checking Remus over; Sammie was after Deran and Sirius was watching Danni. What was I doing just standing there doing nothing? Mum and dad were ensuring the few caught Death Eaters were tied up tightly while waiting for some Aurors on duty to arrive.

I could see lights from spells outside the window. It looked like Sammie was duelling Deran. She was holding her own; she was actually really good the previous sixth year was no match for the seventh year. Another curse had added to the mix. Mr Deran was here; ready to back up his son. Now Sammie needed help.

I bolted outside, and got right into the duel standing by Sammie's side.

"You two weren't invited now leave." I growled throwing a silent stunner at Mr Deran. If we could knock him out it wouldn't take much strength in handling Deran.

"Not this time, you humiliated us, now its payback." Deran snarled sending an unforgiveable Sammie's way.

Sammie jumped out of the way and sent a leg locker curse back his way. Deran was too focused on sending his next unforgivable curse towards me that he forgot to move out of the way or even block the curse. He stumbled and crashed towards the ground letting go of his wand in the process. Sammie quickly sent ropes at him tying his hands to his feet and picked up his wand that had rolled towards her feet while I focused on Mr Deran.

"Leave the boy, you wanted to get him out of this mess staying to fight won't help that." A hooded figure said leaning against our gate. I'd never seen him in person only on wanted posters and in mum's file.

You Know Who was at our house, he knew where we lived. We weren't safe anymore. No one was safe in public but we weren't safe at home. Danni was in major danger; she had no way of protecting herself.

Mr Deran turned to You Know Who and stated walking away leaving his son on the ground. Sammie having put together two and two realised the vilest man was standing on our property sent an unforgivable curse. I was shocked I didn't think that Sammie would have the power and anger to send that curse. I did notice that it wasn't her wand that sent it so I guess no one was going to know except for us two.

"Foolish girl, do you know who I am. You've made a grave mistake." You Know Who barely even raised his wand for Sammie to double over coughing up blood.

"Sammie." I screamed worried. I had never seen anything like that happen before dark magic, really dark magic was involved and it was frightening to see that effect.

There wasn't much I could do except throw the most protective shield I knew over both Sammie and I and watch as You Know Who raised his wand towards me.

"Why don't you watch me end all your friends' lives while you die slowly? I know there are more inside that you care about." You Know Who sneered as the excruciating pain came over me. I didn't even realise I had let the shield drop.

It felt like I was being stabbed a million times and I couldn't do anything about it. I heard horrible sounds. I think one of them was myself screaming in pain. I could still hear Sammie retching up blood next to me. I wanted it to end but I knew if I did that my life would end. I wasn't going to die from the cruciartus curse not today. I wanted to have a long life with Lily, see Sirius finally find a girl that he loves that loves him back. See Danni grow up and go to Hogwarts. See my children grow up and go to Hogwarts I wasn't going to die and miss out on all of that.

"Stop that's my son." Mum screamed running outside her wand already drawn ready to fight to defend her family.

"Ah Mrs Potter I was wondering when you would be joining us. Your Aurors are already stretched as it is fighting my Death Eaters all over the country. By the time they get here we will be long gone and there will be no one left to save. I believe you have a small daughter, imagine the heartache of seeing me kill her first.

"You will not kill my family you son of a bitch." Mum shouted already sending curses.

The curse was lifted off me as You Know Who focused on mum.

"James get Sammie inside now." Mum shouted at me without eye contact. All her focus was on You Know Who.

Sammie was ghostly pale and blood dribbled down her chin. Still coughing it up I half carried half dragged her inside.

I didn't know what that was going to do Sammie needed a Healer and fast. I also didn't want to leave mum. I was just hoping that the Prewett twins were still here so they could assist mum.

As soon as I made it to the doorway dad, Sirius, Fabian, Timothy, Gideon, Taliha and Randy raced out wands raised ready to help mum. Sammie slipped from my arm and with horror I spun to see that she had collapsed to the ground. She wasn't strong enough to make it any further assisted. '

"Sirius help." I moaned hoping that he wouldn't let what happened between the get in the way.

* * *

I watched as Sammie ran after Deran followed by James as I went to check on Remus while Randy went to check on Michaela. Sirius had taken Danni back upstairs; hopefully this would be over quickly. Hopefully Remus and Michaela would be alright, that Sammie and James would get Deran and we would all wake up and find that it was just a dream that it wasn't real, that it wasn't New Year's Eve yet.

The problem is I knew that we were in a war. This wasn't a dream this was reality. We were fighting to end this so that people like Deran weren't a regular thing. Remus was alright, he moved slightly when I got to him. So was Michaela. Randy may have begged her to go to St Mungos but she wasn't giving in to him. I liked how she was able to stand up to him like that, she wouldn't back down.

Once we checked everyone we noticed that Sammie and James still weren't back. That was when we heard the screams. I had never heard James scream before and I never want to hear him scream again. I didn't wait for anyone else I just bolted outside and threw the most powerful curse I knew at the hooded figure. He looked towards me but didn't lift the curse on James. I couldn't do anything except watch. I tried to stop Mr Deran and Sam Deran for leaving but by the time I noticed that were about to apparate away it was too late. I felt helpless. Nothing I was throwing at this guy was affecting him he still had the curse on James and Sammie was in pain.

Sammie, I could help Sammie.

But as I started to run towards her an invisible wall stopped me.

"No you can't do this don't you have any humanity." I shouted knowing there was no reason to. If he had humanity there wouldn't be a war. It was horrible. James was screaming with pain and I was screaming for him shouting for it to stop. Sammie was on her hands and knees coughing up blood.

It wasn't until Mrs Potter came out that he turned towards her. I watched as James led Sammie back to the house while Mrs Potter fought with You Know Who. It wasn't hard to figure out who he was.

I couldn't leave James' mum fighting by himself. I sent stunner after stunner at You Know Who hoping to shift his focus from Mrs Potter for the smallest possible moment so she could attack instead of defending. It wasn't until the available fighters ran out of the house that the fighting ceased slightly. You Know Who looked like he was about to leave so I put all my energy and hatred of the man into the one spell. The ground around him exploded.

"Stupid girl, I could have spared you, you showed no threat and now, now you face the same death warrant as the rest of them. I'll be back and you will all die." He boomed disapparating right in front of us.

"Thank you so much Lily for your help, but we really need to join the others and get Sammie to St Mungos." Mrs Potter said extending her arm around my shoulder and leading me back to the house.

* * *

"Is she going to be ok?" Sirius asked for like the 15th time. I knew that he didn't have feelings for her but it was nice to know that he still cared for her.

"I'm sure she will, she will get through this." I reassured him.

"You know we can't hold grudges. Not in this lifetime. We can't hate each other when there's a war going on. Can you imagine knowing that the last thing you said to someone was that you didn't want to see them. We have to stick together if we don't You Know Who will always beat us. We always need to be on guard no matter, where no matter how or when we always need to be prepared." Sirius ranted pacing up and down.

I agreed with him, we had to stick together on this and fight You Know Who, his Death eaters and Deran not each other but I was too worried about Sammie to say anything. Sirius and I were sitting on cold seats outside the room that Sammie was in. While James, Remus and Michaela were being checked out down the hall along with numerous amounts of people who stayed to fight. Mrs Potter had sent a message to Sammie's parents letting them know what happened knowing that they were about to turn up at any minute.

The door to Sammie's room opened and all three of us instantly jumped up facing the door waiting for the Healer to walk out.

"Is she going to be okay?" I asked as slowly and clearly as I could before Sirius could do anything like force the Healer up against the wall demanding answers.

"It's still early days we don't know what's going to happen she lost way to much blood. We've managed to stop the blood loss now but we can't replace the blood she did lose until she decides she wants to wake up. I'm not going to lie the chance of survival is slim. We did have one patient come in from this curse just over a year ago and I hate to tell you this but they didn't survive." The Healer said solemnly slowly walking down the hall.

I couldn't believe what I had just heard. Sammie was most likely going to die. Sirius had turned and nasty shade of white or green it was hard to tell with the lighting.

I got a glimpse into Sammie's room and saw three healers waving their wands and passing potion after potion to each other deciding whether to use them or not.

Please Sammie, please get through this, you need to get through this.

* * *

A/N  
I didn't make up the lullaby I got it off the internet. It's called Golden Slumber just so you know I didn't create it if you didn't know it or wanted to. So they've all faced Voldermort and Deran got away again. Sammie's hurt and Alice and Mary have no idea. I hoped you liked it anyway. I understand that I wrote You Know Who in this chapter, That's because I believe that Harry only said it in the series because he didn't grow up in the Wizarding World while James, Lily and the others grew up knowing how dangerous Voldermort was. I believe that it is only Dumbledore who says his name because he knew his real identity and wasn't afraid of Tom Marvolo Riddle. I appologise if I wrote Voldermort in previous chapters or in this chapter because I started to then changed my mind.

Well until next time,  
SpringBabe.


	24. Memory Lane

Chapter 24: Memory Lane

It's just weird knowing that in less than 24 hours we'll be on the train back to Hogwarts and Sammie is going to be exactly the same as she was yesterday and today. Not moving, barely breathing, not fighting, and just lying there almost dead. I didn't want to admit it to myself but the thought was always in my mind and I'm sure others thought it too they just didn't want to voice it. I didn't think Sammie was going to survive. I didn't see how she could. She had lost so much blood and no one knew how to heal her. They replenished all the blood she lost but they couldn't do anything else until she woke up. Apparently there was something else, something that the Healers or her family weren't telling us. I already knew about the 20% chance of survival but apparently that was looking to be more like 5% because something else was going on that had nothing to do with the curse.

No one knew what to do, Sirius had gone back to his house, I think he just wanted to be alone. James went to visit him the day after he move out of the Potter house but apparently Sirius didn't answer. James wasn't doing anything either, he had been quiet and guarded. I'm sure he blamed himself but I don't know how he could. No one predicted that was going to happen. Even Danni was quieter I think she knew something was up and she was very clingy to her older brother. I don't think James minded though, he liked the idea of his little sister being beside him. I knew he didn't want to leave her alone when we left.

Everyone had gone back to work, but in cheerful moods like you expect someone to after they have just celebrated the beginning of the year. Michaela and Randy had gone back to the States, Taliha and Timothy had also left, they didn't want to be a burden on the Potters. Mr and Mrs Potter had to jump straight back into work but not before they put up every protective charm they knew on the house. It was just James, Danni and I left.

James was sweetly protective, he wouldn't let Danni out of his sight for more than a few minutes and Danni didn't want to. She didn't want to go to the park or ice skating down at the pond, she didn't even want to go outside and fly around on her new broom.

"Lily do you have to go?" She asked me coming into my room and sitting on the bed I had been sleeping in for the past two weeks.

"Yes I'm sorry but as soon as I finish school I'll come back and see you." I promised.

"Pinky promise." Danni said holding out her small hand.

"Of course, I pinky promise that I will come back and see you, even if James and I are not dating anymore." I told her locking my pinky around hers.

"Do you think you'll marry James one day?" She asked taking me by surprise.

It was so forward and so unexpected yet she was expecting an answer. He bright blue eyes round and I could see that she really liked me and wanted to see me again. She was only five, she believes in fairytales and how everyone lives happily ever after. If I was being honest I still did too.

"I don't know, maybe. I'd like to, I love your brother but we've only been going out for two months." I told her folding the last of my robes on top of my school books.

I was going to murder myself when we get back to Hogwarts. I promised myself I would study hard while I was here but I only glimpsed at my charms notes and I have no problems with that subject it was transfiguration and arithmacy I had the most trouble with.

"I'm going to miss you Lily," She sobbed pulling me into a hug.

"I'll miss you too, but I'm not going until tomorrow morning so there is still plenty of time to say goodbye." I told her with a smile.

* * *

Slam. My trunk is all packed. Unlike other holidays I really don't want to go back. I just know that things are going to be different. Sammie's life is hanging by a thread; Sirius hasn't come over in the past week. I don't even know if he's ok. Everyone has been depressed but they all have lives to go on with. For the past week I haven't even had the emotional capacity to open my school books or even spend time with Lily. If I had have been stronger, braver I could have helped Sammie. Instead I was withering on the ground screaming out in pain. I was weak. I couldn't hold my own. I'm lucky to be alive when there are others who are stronger, better that are no longer alive.

"James your mum's waiting for us." Lily said quietly from my doorway.

I felt terrible, for the past week I hadn't comfort Lily when she was just as upset as I was.

"Lily, I'm sorry I haven't been there for you this week, but I'm here for you now." I told her worried that I had left my apology too late.

"You don't need to apologise, you were hurting too, but don't forget I'm here for you too. We are there for each other and no matter how much we try to get by on our own we need each other." Lily said accepting my hug.

"Ewww." Danni said pretending to gag.

"I'll give you eww missy." I said chasing after her.

I caught her easily. After all I am a seventeen year old Quiditch player and she was only five.

"Are you going to miss me when I go back to school?" I asked her.

"Yes, I always miss you James but I know that you'll be home when school finishes." Danni said sounding sad.

"James, Lily it's time to go, I need to get back to work after I take you to the station." Mum shouted calmly.

"Alright mum we're ready, although I don't know why we can't just apparate to Hogsmeade and meet the train there?" I asked her.

"Um I didn't think of that, well anyway you're all packed now and it will be safer for you to take the train. Come on then we don't want to be late." Mum stammered.

Mum had been slightly skittish ever since the attack on our place on New Year's Eve. It had changed everyone not just because of what happened to Sammie but Dad was much more protective, Lily seemed more confident, I was less confident and less arrogant if I could be any less arrogant. Sirius shut everyone out like he did when his parents kicked him out and Mum constantly jumped whenever something banged or an unexpected noise was made. Even Danni who couldn't wait to get a broom for Christmas didn't want to go outside and fly around.

* * *

"I don't like it. It just seems so unnatural." I sighed lying against James.

Alice was trying to act like everything was normal talking to Peter and Remus, ignoring Sirius who was just staring out the window while James and I were just enjoying each other's company.

"When do we have to patrol the corridors Lily?" Remus asked me again.

I knew he didn't forget he was just trying to break the silence in the compartment, I was grateful but it was getting annoying.

"In ten minutes." I replied looking at my watch. I couldn't stand the silence any longer. "We might as well go now."

Remus stood up sending me a grateful look, James stirred and pulled me up.

"We'll be back in half an hour ok." I told everyone as Remus and James headed out the compartment.

Alice and Peter nodded while Sirius didn't say anything, didn't even acknowledge that we were going.

"Sirius we're leaving ok, we might pass the trolley so do you want anything?" James asked.

"Fine go ahead, I'm fine Prongs." Sirius mumbled turning slightly before turning back to the window.

"Padfoot." James said using their nicknames.

"I said I'm fine Prongs; go do your stupid patrol!" Sirius yelled.

"Okay then." James said quietly shutting the door behind him.

* * *

"You didn't have to be rude you know." Alice told me breaking the silence that had occurred after the other three left a while ago.

"Look can we just drop it, go back to talking with Peter." I snapped not wanting to talk to anyone. I just wanted to watch the scenery go past while I knew Sammie couldn't.

"If he was awake I would. What's wrong Sirius; this isn't because of me is it?" Alice asked.

I actually gave a little laugh with disbelief.

"Well then what is it? Surely you weren't in love with Sammie." Alice asked me.

"Of course I wasn't in love with Sammie. I was always in love with you even if I didn't know it was you. Yes it sounds ridiculous but I am in love with you even if you are in love with someone else. But it's not you that's bothering me it's the fact that an innocent person is on her death bed." I told her not knowing why I was telling her this.

This was actually the longest conversation we have had since the end of 5th year apart from New Year's Eve.

"Sammie wasn't innocent, don't forget she cheated on you, lied to you, and pretended to be me." Alice hissed.

"How can you say that, sure she isn't perfect and yes I was hurt that she did those things but at the end of the day we are all human. We are all in a war and we can't fight our own side. If we do that we will only be killed faster." I told her angry that she was not forgiving Sammie when I was the one who got hurt not her. "Look I know you and Sammie used to be best friends and I get that she lied to you, pretended to be you but you can't tell me that you don't care if she lives or dies."

"Maybe I don't, I haven't forgiven what she did. What she did really hurt me and I don't think I can ever forgive or forget that." Alice said not meeting my eye.

"That's not true at all. I know you Alice. You might not have forgiven her but you still care. You're pretending you don't so that if she doesn't survive you won't be heartbroken. The thing is no matter how much you hide it you will care and you will be hurt if she doesn't survive. She was your best friend."

"Yes she was. Key word being was and you don't know me, maybe you used to but things have changed since then. You've changed, I've changed. Hell even Lily has changed and realised James is perfect for her. You can't tell me how I feel." Alice said harshly.

"You know what hasn't changed." I said in a barely audible whisper.

The changed of tone and sound made Alice more interested.

"My feelings for you. I've had a crush on you for ages. I never wanted to act on it because we had a great friendship and I didn't want to hurt Sammie, so I thought it would go away. Then at the beginning of fifth year you started dating Frank. I got jealous but I didn't want to show it. I pretended that I was happy for you, I was your friend after all."

"Sirius stop this is only making this worse." Alice groaned putting her head in her hands.

"Look I just want to tell you what happened back then. Anyway Sammie was also jealous, her best friend had a boyfriend and she didn't, I'm sure she didn't mean it because she felt superior to you but because you were spending a lot of time with Frank and it left the two of us alone. It was Sammie that suggested it, we had just come back from Hogsmeade, you had spent the day with Frank and Sammie was with Lily so I spent the day with the Marauders."

"Sirius I honestly don't care how you and Sammie got together, it's in the past and she probably won't survive to know you forgive her. Let's stop being mushy and go back to the way things were. The way things were at the beginning of the year but without Sammie." Alice said picking up her small bag and storming out the compartment slamming the door behind her which woke Peter up.

* * *

It was all a scam, that's what it is. He just wants to get in your pants like all those other girls. He just wants to claim he's banged you and announce it like someone who won a massive trophy. Why else would he be interested in me.

Yes I had a crush on him as well but he was never going to see me as more than just a friend. He was lying, he just wanted to add me to his collection, that was all and he wasn't going to give up.

I was with Frank. I had been with Frank basically since the middle of 4th year and officially with him from the start of 5th year than not with him towards the end of 6th year and non-officially with him from the end of the summer holidays before starting 6th year. I never admitted it to myself but the reason why I never committed to Frank because I was waiting for Sirius to remember. I just didn't think it would take him this long. Besides now I was comfortable with Frank. Letting Sirius use me was just going to ruin everything that I had started since 4th/5th year. Besides I was over him. That crush was long gone.

_So why can't you talk to him, go back to being friends_. A voice at the back of my head was saying.

_Because it would just complicate things. That's why_. I told myself. _I'm fine with not being friends with him I have all the friends I need and a dedicated boyfriend who I should be dating officially. _

* * *

Grr she was so infuriating. Doesn't she remember how good it used to be when it was Me, Sammie and her. Those rare but fun occasions when I wasn't hanging out with the other three marauders. When she announced that she was dating Frank I was really jealous. I wanted to be the one dating her, but I hid the green eyed monster from her and acted like everything was normal. So when Sammie suggested that we should go out I pretended that my crush on Alice was really a crush on Sammie. Maybe that's why I didn't care that she started liking someone else, because I never really liked her like that anyway. Our lives would have been so much easier if we had been honest with each other. If I had taken the jump and asked Alice out she would still be in this compartment and Sammie would have been at that party but not duelling Deran, she would have been the one that made sure Mary got back to the castle she wouldn't be dying. I had to accept it, everyone else had. Sammie wasn't going to live. How could she, she was living on minimal amount of blood.

It was so messed up if we had been honest she would be here right now. she would still be best friends with both Alice and I. All because I pretended to have feelings for her. I almost convinced myself that I did but then every time afterwards I saw Alice. She was the one I wanted to be with.

I can't believe I never realised it was her. That night I was trying to remember who it was. I felt like I had never seen her before but I had. Every single day I had seen her and that memory is going to haunt me forever. The girl I wanted but couldn't have, I didn't really deserve her anyway.

* * *

Sirius looked a bit brighter when we re-entered the compartment. I wasn't really surprised to see that Alice wasn't there either, neither was Lily. Remus just slumped into his seat next to Peter. He looked tired, I couldn't blame him really the full moon was only a couple of nights ago.

"I know what you're thinking. You're all wondering if Sammie's going to make it. You don't want to say anything because you don't want to upset me but please just say it. It's better to speak when you should that to never speak at all." Sirius randomly blurted out.

"What?" Remus asked while both Lily and I looked just as confused.

"Sammie, Alice. I never said what I wanted to and look where that ended up, so say what's on your mind before it's too late." Sirius explained still confusing us.

"You really care about her don't you?" Lily whispered.

"She was my best friend and then we never told each other how we really felt and now we can't." Sirius sighed looking down at the floor.

"Look mate, I'm not going to say that she'll come around or any of that crap. I'm not going to tell you it will get better. I got lucky with Lily eventually liking me back but Alice may be in love with Frank." I told him sympathetically. "Maybe you should date someone else."

"Yeah you're right but I'm not going to date around, when I was trying to find the girl I kissed I mean Alice I didn't really enjoy what I was doing with all those girls. I mean I was only doing it to find Alice not for pleasure or anything else I was hoping I would just find the one you know." Sirius explained sourly.

"Yeah I know but just because some of us find the love of our life at Hogwarts doesn't mean the rest of us do. You might think you're in love with Alice but maybe she's just your Hogwarts crush and once you leave you'll fall in love with someone else." Lily tried to cheer him up.

"Have you?" Sirius asked her.

"Have I what?"

"Found the love of your life."

Lily looked at me and blushed. I couldn't do anything but look straight into those green eyes. Lily Evans the love of my life, but does she love me back. Really love me that she would admit it to anyone.

"Yes." She whispered quietly just loud enough for all of us to hear. She sent me a quick smile and all I wanted to do was snog her until we couldn't breathe. Of course they probably wouldn't be the best idea luckily I didn't act on it. I did however pick her up and spin her around almost knocking everyone out.

"I know I never act like it but I want what you two have." Sirius mumbled when we all sat down. "Anyway on a lighter note did you pass the food trolley?"

And just like that he put up the mask that he always wore. These holidays and the summer holidays before our 6th year was the first time I really saw my best mate without his mask. Most of the school thought they saw who Sirius really was, carefree and didn't give a damn but really he was so much more than that. He was human after all.

* * *

A/N

So we got to see a bit of what Sirius' and Alice's complicated relationship is like. James and Lily are in love. Sammie is basically dead; I hope this chapter was worth the wait.  
SpringBabe. Xx


	25. Time is Ticking

Chapter 25: Time is Ticking

The thing is you say you won't cry anymore, how much can one person cry anyway. Surely I've cried my fair share. I thought after Deran and my parents there wouldn't be any more crying and I held to that up to now. The thing is you try to hold the tears back but one day you won't have a choice and you'll have to let it out. I tried to hold back the tears once Sammie was taken to St Mungos, I tried to act like everything was normal, that everyone was okay. I knew that everything wasn't normal and that everyone wasn't okay but still I pushed the tears back.

I didn't count on the fact that I would be hit by a wave of emotion once Mary and I stepped into the Gryffindor Common room. We barely made it up to the 7th year girl's dormitory before our eyes began to blur and once they started to fall I couldn't stop the rest from falling.

I'm sure James felt slightly hurt since Mary and I basically bolted past the four marauders just to make it up the stairs before the whole house witnessed our blubbery mess. I didn't know where Alice was she never came back to the compartment on the train and I didn't see her in the Great Hall for the back to school feast. I knew she needed time to work out the mess and I hope that was all she was doing I really hope she wasn't in trouble because neither Mary nor I were up to it.

I was crying because of Sammie, because of my parents, because I'm an orphan, and because I felt guilty knowing that I was alive and they weren't. I knew Sammie wasn't going to make it how could she? She had lost so much blood I'm sure she had internal bleeding and I don't know how she could live through that. How could anyone.

Mary I'm sure was crying for Sammie, crying for her mum, her dad who still hadn't come home and the horrible situation she was left in knowing that going home meant seeing her step mum. She had it worse than I did. At least I had a happy childhood, Mary had to spend her teen years without a mum and a horrible step mum for a replacement. Knowing that I had it better than her slowed my tears which eventually stopped. I don't know how long Mary kept crying for but we were stilling holding each other long after the last tear fell.

* * *

"It's going to be tough but I have to be honest, if you can't master this spell it is likely you won't pass your transfiguration NEWT." McGonagall brutally told us.

I don't know why she was telling us this, we learnt the spell last year and everyone was able to do it. I had always been top of Transfiguration and had no problem learning this spells. The problem was listening when we were taught the spells. It was still too easy for me to go back to that night where I was on the ground screaming in pain while Sammie was in far worse pain coughing up blood. It was obvious my family was the target, You Know Who doesn't just drop by any old house yet Sammie wasn't the target but she still got hurt. It could have easily been Lily or Danni, Alice or Mary. It could even have been Sirius, Remus and Peter that got hurt. If Lily got hurt I wouldn't be able to forgive myself.

I know what I need to do. I don't want to, I want to do the complete opposite but if Lily gets hurt because I was the target I don't think I could face the consequences of living without her. She'll understand hopefully and when the war is over I'll apologise and hope she'll forgive me.

* * *

"Have you noticed that James is acting differently?" Sirius asked me on the way to Ancient Runes.

"Yeah he's been avoiding me most of the day. Maybe he's just upset with me because I didn't spend any time with him last night." I suggested.

"No that's not it. Last night he told us he couldn't believe how strong you were, everyone has been an emotional wreck since that night but you," he changed his tone and looked at me differently. "Lily I've underestimated you the whole time I've known you. I didn't realise how strong you were until the Deran incident. So whatever you do don't ever believe that you are weak."

Sirius hurried off even though we were going to the same class. I was left standing in the corridor stunned by what he had said.

"Hey Lily are you alright? You've just stopped in the middle of the corridor." Remus asked walking with James.

"I'm fine I was just stunned at what Sirius said, and then he had the nerve to run off without me like he wanted to beat me to class." I replied. I added on seeing their shocked faces, "oh don't worry he didn't say anything bad, it was just an unexpected compliment."

"Alright then, we should probably hurry up and get to Ancient Runes." Remus said.

The whole time we were standing in that corridor James didn't say a word in fact he was avoiding eye contact with me.

James sat with Remus so I went to go sit next to Silvia but Sirius was already sitting there. Silvia gave me a weird look as if to ask why I didn't get to the class before Sirius. It was like Sirius was trying to force James and I to sit together. Well that failed, plus we are already going out I don't know why he's playing match maker. So since I didn't have a partner I took the empty desk in front of Remus and James.

Remus shrugged his shoulders at me and asked if I wanted to swap spots with him, really I didn't mind it was only for one subject besides it didn't look like James was going to be much company.

"Alright class, I can see that there have been a few seat changes, I hope there hasn't been any break-ups between well-deserved couples." Professor Grend chuckled slightly looking at me and then to James who gave off the impression that we had broken up. "Anyway everyone please come up and grab one of each scroll and begin translating whatever isn't finished in this lesson will need to be completed for homework."

I had never been one that wrote notes but if James was giving off the impression that we had broken up I wanted to know why.

_James was it something I did or is this still about the attack at your place because that wasn't your fault. Please tell me I thought we were going to tell each other everything.  
_

_Lil meet me in our common room we need to talk._ Was all I got for a reply.

* * *

"You say you're doing it because you think it will keep me safe. Hello I'm a muggle born I'm a target. If anything we should be breaking up to keep you safe." Lily shouted at me.

"Lil please, I love you I don't want you to get hurt because of me." I pleaded although she had a point.

"I love you too but don't you think that I should have a say in this. Us breaking up isn't going to protect me or you it's going to weaken us. It took me a while to figure it out but Dumbledore didn't choose us as the Head's because we are great individuals he picked us because we work the best together."

"We work well together leading the school. I'm not talking about the school, I'm talking about when we leave school and there are actual Death Eaters not Death Eater wannabes." I reasoned.

"How is it any different. We bring out the best in each other. You and I are meant to be together you breaking up with me isn't going to protect me anymore than me being with you. You think you're being noble but is your nobility really going to protect me anymore than you're love. If anything our love for each other will protect us. I'm not leaving you and you are not leaving me."

Damn she's one stubborn girl.

"Lily-"

"James just stop please just listen to me, this isn't going to protect me so forget you even wanted to break up with me even if you were trying to be noble and go back to the way things were." Lily whispered coming close to me.

"Lily I want to but you don't understand what happened to Sammie, that can easily happen to you, I wouldn't be able survive if something happened to you because you were standing next to me. I'm scared that you will die fighting in front of me." I admitted quietly sitting down on the couch and pulling her next to me.

"I'm scared to." She admitted as well. "I'm scared that I won't get to spend my life with you because we will die. I'm not going to tell you that we won't because I know we both want to join the order. I know that it's dangerous but I have to fight for what I believe is right. I also want to spend the rest of my life in love with you, however short it may be. I know that I shouldn't think like this but I'm trying to be realistic not pessimistic. I don't want to waste what we have because you were being noble we are in this together." Lily said leaning in to kiss me.

And just like that I forgot about wanting to break up with her. She was right we probably won't survive this war but I was going to spend as much time as I could with her because I am in love with her and never want to be apart.

* * *

"Hogsmeade is this weekend." Sirius announced to all of us.

"I can't I have so much homework to finish and revision to start, NEWTS are only a few months away." Lily warned him.

"I know that Lilykins but this is Hogsmeade, you don't skip Hogsmeade visits." Sirius told her. "Besides most of us need to go to get your birthday presents."

I still needed to get Lily a present but I was going to go after the Quiditch match between Ravenclaw and Slytherin since there would be no party in the Gryffindor common room and I would be able to sneak out. Plus not going to Hogsmeade now would make her think I already have a present.

"I don't want any bought presents; no one can give me what I want." Lily muttered pressing down on her parchment a little too hard.

Sure enough a large black spurt of ink appeared and smudged across the parchment.

"Shit." Lily cursed.

"Ok, Lilykins isn't coming, Prongs you coming. Marauders tradition." Sirius chirped avoiding Lily for the moment while she fixed up her essay.

"Nah I think I'm going to stay here work out some Quiditch plays and patrol shifts." I told him. I actually wasn't planning to do any of that, I wanted to spend quality time with my girlfriend.

"Moony, Wormtail don't bail on me I'm begging you." Sirius whinged.

Remus rolled his eyes. "You're so dramatic Padfoot fine I'll come but as long as you don't ask to copy any of my work on Sunday."

Sirius muttered fine while Peter agreed to go since he didn't want to feel left out. Besides neither Sirius nor Remus wanted to spark the rumours that they were gay for each other.

"Alice, Mary you going to join us?" Sirius asked cheerfully now that he had two friends going with him.

"I'm going with Lauren again," Mary told him.

Alice didn't reply but just walked out. She did this all the time, not just when Sirius talked to her but when someone asked her something it was like she didn't want to be noticed yet she still wanted to be around us.

"Actually I think it's about time I took my school work seriously after all NEWTS are coming up and I have a few assignments to start." Sirius mumbled.

I rolled my eyes. It was funny to see Sirius act like he never did any school work but every time he disappeared for a few hours we would check the map and find that he was in the most remote corner of the library doing homework or either in the room of requirement when he wouldn't show up on the map.

"You, miss out on Hogsmeade to do homework I'd like to see that." Peter snorted.

"Fine I bet you five gallons I can do it." Sirius gambled.

The only reason Peter didn't accept was because he didn't have five gallons and because he knew like I did that Sirius does homework without wanting anyone to know.

* * *

"Flameeeeesssss" Sirius sung in a weird sing-song tone.

"What do you want Sirius I'm not in the mood to help you out with any essay right now."

"You've been very grouchy since I mentioned you're birthday. What is it don't like birthdays." He teased.

"No but I'm not looking forward to this one." I shrugged in reply.

"Why not it's the big one eight. You're going to be 18 in the muggle world that's the legal age." Sirius chirped.

"Yes but we aren't in the muggle world, I came of age last year." I snapped.

Sirius looked slightly hurt.

"I'm sorry Sirius it's just that with everything that's happened I don't feel like I should be celebrating my birthday it's like reminding myself that I've lasted longer than she has." I admitted.

"Lily I'm so sorry, I shouldn't have pushed it but I'm still going to get you a present though even if you don't want to celebrate."

"Thanks Sirius, for being so understanding." I told him giving him a hug before walking off.

I hadn't seen Alice in a while I knew she wasn't coping. Sirius told us that she was pretending to hate Alice so she wouldn't have to deal with all the emotions when Sammie doesn't make it. I think she wants to look like she doesn't care but in reality she cares far more than she shows, why else does she keep disappearing.

* * *

"Lily I know you said you didn't want presents for your birthday but what do you want. Everyone wants something." I asked her once everyone went to Hogsmeade. Sirius ended up going after all.

"I know this isn't going to happen but I really wish that Sammie will be alive, not lying there in-between but awake and alive." Lily told me honestly.

I didn't know how to reply to that.

"It's ok I know it won't happen, I just want to spend the day with you and the others." Lily added putting on fake smile.

* * *

"Sammie I'm sorry I didn't forgive you before all this happened. I may have been angry with you for what you did but I never hated you. A lot of the anger I fuelled towards you was because I was also angry with myself but it was easier being angry with you. I'm so sorry I didn't write to you before this incident but I can't die. We don't hate you. None of us hate you. Sirius forgives you. I forgive you. I promise if you wake up we'll go back to how things were. Me, you and Sirius the closest of friends. Please Sammie please don't die. You can't you're stronger than this."

"You had the same idea." His voice said from the doorway.

I hastily wiped away the tears running down my face and got up. I didn't want him to see me cry over Sammie I didn't want him to know he was right about what I was feeling.

"You know that on the 28th they're going to pull the plug, if she hasn't shown any signs of improvement by then they will stop the potions and spells." I told him before barging out.

* * *

I didn't feel up to going into Hogsmeade. I put on a cheerful face but the last time I came I was working with Sammie to get Lily and James together now even Hogsmeade didn't seem cheerful.

"I think I'm going to head back to the castle." I told both Remus and Peter.

They both looked shocked but I ignored them and left the three broomsticks. I couldn't go back to the castle yet but I couldn't stay in the village. I wanted to give Lily the perfect birthday gift but basically all she wanted was for Sammie to be alive. Perfect I have the opportunity to go visit Sammie.

"I forgive you. I promise if you wake up we'll go back to how things were. Me, you and Sirius the closest of friends. Please Sammie please don't die. You can't you're stronger than this." Alice sobbed holding Sammie's hand tightly.

I knew it she didn't hate Sammie at all she cared way more than she showed.. "You had the same idea." I said announcing my appearance.

"You know that on the 28th they're going to pull the plug, if she hasn't shown any signs of improvement by then they will stop the potions and spells." She whispered quietly then hurried out. Obviously she didn't want me bumping into her here.

"Oh Sammie," I moaned taking the seat Alice was sitting in. "We all miss you, Lily's birthday's coming up and she really wants you to be there. It would be the best birthday present ever if you could come. I'm not mad at you, I'm also to blame in our screwed up relationship."

"You know if it wasn't for the baby she would have a better chance." A healer said unstoppering a potion.

What baby?

"What?" I asked thinking I didn't hear him right.

"You don't know I assumed you were the father. My younger brother told me that she was dating you before Christmas." The healer replied.

"No we broke up at the beginning of the holidays, what baby are you talking about? Are you saying that Sammie's pregnant?" I asked confused.

"Yes we think judging by the size the baby was conceived a few weeks ago. Considering that she was admitted New Year's Day we think it was just after Christmas." The healer warned me.

"Oh so your saying that because she's pregnant she won't survive?" I asked.

"No I'm saying that the chances of survival are very slim. If there wasn't a baby it would be highly likely she would survive." The healer explained.

"Can't you get rid of the baby? my mother did that with her third child." I asked.

"Yes but we need the permission of the father, and since no one knows who it is we can't do anything else." The healer said sadly. "Well I'll leave you to it I hope you know that after the 28th we won't be able to do anything, we need the hospital beds and if there is no improvement I'm afraid you'll have to say goodbye."

"Please Sammie you can't let them stop trying to save you, you're going to turn innocent people into murderers." I pleaded although I was probably over exaggerating a bit saying the healers would be murderers if they let her die.

* * *

"Where did you disappear to today? Moony and Wormtail came back ages ago saying you came back a couple of hours before them but you only just walked through the gates now." James questioned Sirius once he walked through the portrait of the common room.

"nowhere, have any of you seen Alice, I really need to talk to her." Sirius asked then sprinted out the common room.

"He's been acting strange since he mentioned the Hogsmeade trip earlier this week." I mentioned to the others as we watched him leave the common room.

"Lily he's always been strange. After all he is Sirius Black. When he acts normal that's when you worry." Remus told me going back to fixing his Potions essay.

* * *

A/N  
So this chapter is slightly different to the others the POV's are slightly shorter. I feel that I changed my writing style in this chapter but I really wanted to get someone uploaded so I slightly rushed it.  
Let me know what you think.  
SpringBabe. XX


	26. 28th January

Chapter 26: 28th January

Sirius' POV

"What are we going to tell them?"

I barely even registered what she said, I was still taking in her appearance and how cold she must be sitting by the lake in the middle of winter. I didn't even register what I was doing when I handed her my jacket and sat down next to her.

"Did you hear me; I asked what are we going to tell them?" Alice said again ignoring the fact that I was giving her my jacket.

"Are you blind? You must be freezing which is why I am giving you my jacket." I responded pretending to ignore her question.

"You know I could just summon my own clothes or conjure a blanket but thanks."

Once she wrapped the jacket around her which actually prevented the snow from seeping through her top I responding to her question. "I don't know if I can tell them. It's just too cruel."

"I know but when it happens and they find out that we knew, they'll be hurt." Alice stated.

"I know but maybe we should just wait for a bit there is still a chance." I don't think she knew about the baby situation yet.

"I believe that she can pull through this, I really do. This is Sammie we're talking about and you were right about me. So when she pulls through this could we maybe see how everything goes but for now, we'll keep it as our secret." Alice suggested.

"Do you know about the baby?" I asked taking a huge breath to have the courage to blurt it out.

"What!"

"The baby, Sammie's pregnant and it's reducing her chance of survival. There is basically no chance of survival now."

"No" there is a chance, what about the muggle way, I know healers are doing that now since a lot of mums have died in this war." Alice protested.

"They don't know who the father is. They can't do anything until the baby's father allows the baby to be terminated." I explained.

"But she was with you; she didn't cheat on you again did she?"

"No I think she was with someone on New Year's Eve before she came to the Potter's." I told her.

"Maybe we can find the father, if we do that then…" She trailed off. "You've given up haven't you?"

I couldn't look at her.

"You're Sirius Black. You don't accept defeat, you don't give up. You can't give up this isn't a Quiditch game you can't promise to play well the next game because it will be easier. This is Sammie's life you're giving up on you're giving up on Sammie." Alice stated standing up. "I know I said I had given up but I haven't, and I won't let you give up either. It's the 13th today. There's still time. Thanks for the jacket." She finished chucking me my jacket and then stormed up to the castle ignoring the blistering winds.

* * *

Lily's POV

"So Lily I'm guessing we won't be able to give you your party until after classes finish but can we give you presents in the morning or do we have to wait until after lessons?" Remus asked.

"I guess before I don't really mind it just depends on the time." I shrugged. I didn't mind when I got presents it wasn't like I was going to get many this year.

"Hey, Lily, James when's the next Hogsmeade visit?" Sirius asked.

"Um not until the 27th. Are you going to tell us where you went on the weekend?" James inquired.

I caught Sirius sending a glance at Alice who quickly turned away. "Nope, I did manage to get my transfiguration essay done as well Moony."

"A+ for you." Remus said sarcastically chucking peas at Sirius.

"That's it food fig-"

"Don't you dare Sirius." I snapped. I did not want to spend ages in the shower trying to get mashed potato out of my hair.

"Fine, but Moony you will face my wrath sooner rather than later."

"I'm quaking in my boots." Remus smirked.

"Why are we friends with them?" I silently asked Mary while Remus and Sirius bickered.

"Because your boyfriend is friends with them plus Sirius is quite handsome not to mention Remus." Mary whispered back.

"Hey Mary I heard that, don't worry I know that I have all the looks in the group, Moony has the brains, Prongs the stupidity." Which was responded to with a 'hey best friend you're insulting is still here'. Sirius shook off James' comment and kept going. "Peter's the loyal one we can always count on."

* * *

James' POV

"Are Alice and Sirius talking again?" Mary asked us.

Both Alice and Sirius weren't in our common room but I didn't believe that they had started talking to each other. Alice had stopped leaving whenever the conversation included her though.

"I don't think so. Alice has just stopped avoiding Sirius so they might start talking soon." I told her.

"You know I don't get what happened to them. Didn't they use to be close? Didn't Alice use to hang out with us before Sammie and Sirius broke up." Peter asked.

Poor Peter none of us brought him up to speed on the Alice, Sammie, Sirius love triangle. Well it was kind of a love triangle now it was just a love mess. No one loved the same person I don't even know what it is anymore now that Sammie is unconscious and most likely not going to make it. I kind of hate the idea of her lying there not dead yet not alive.

"Um it's a long story even Mary and I don't understand it and I don't think that Sirius even knows about it." Lily lied.

Remus seemed interested as well. He didn't know the full story either. Really none of us did.

"Look I'm sure they'll sort it out before the end of the year." I said. "Lily what's the charm that makes things grow?"

And like that the conversation changed.

* * *

Alice's POV

"So do you want to go visit Sammie this weekend?" Sirius asked me.

He had found me in the library while the others were studying in Lily and James' common room.

"So know you think she can still fight through this." I snapped annoyed at his constantly changing opinion.

"I just don't want to get my hopes up and be faced with disappointment." He replied sadly. "I really hope she will survive though."

"Look we need to hope, we don't want to wake up and find out that we had given up." I told him sympathetically. "But we can't go visit her this weekend there isn't a Hogsmeade visit."

"Hello, you're looking at one of the marauders, we can sneak out for an hour or two and no one will know." Sirius suggested.

"I don't know, we've only just started talking again, but the others don't know. Wouldn't they be suspicious if we both disappear for a while?" I asked, "Because I think we should keep this quiet for a while, it'll look weird if we all of a sudden start talking. We need it to look like Sammie got us to talk again."

"Fine but you're going to help me find who the father is?" Sirius said.

"Deal."

* * *

Sirius' POV

"Have you found anything?" I asked when Alice arrived at our meeting place, we were running out of time there is only nine days until the 28th.

"No I'm still waiting for Lachlan to reply to my owl. So how were you planning to sneak us out?" Alice asked.

"Like this." I told her throwing James' invisibility cloak over both of us. "Come on this way, and don't take the cloak off until I say so."

Alice followed my instructions. Once we were in the passageway I told her she could take it off.

"Was that an invisibility cloak?" Alice asked with awe.

"Yeah it's James' he doesn't know I nicked it apparently it's a family heirloom." I told her.

"Cool, so this will lead us to Hogsmeade."

"Yeah and once we get out we can apparate to St Mungos."

* * *

James' POV

"Has anyone seen Sirius?" I asked the guys once I got downstairs.

"No why?" Remus asked.

"I can't find my cloak and I want to know if Sirius took it?" I asked. Normally Sirius asked to use it.

"We can help you look maybe you left it in our dorm?" Peter suggested.

"Hey Alice where are you going, it looks like you're sneaking off somewhere." Remus greeted seeing Alice sneak around the corner.

"Oh, ah. Um nowhere." Alice stammered. "Oh alright I'm going to the owlery I need to send Frank a letter." She added after seeing the looks we gave her.

"Well have fun." I told her before following Peter and Remus to Gryffindor tower.

* * *

Lily's POV

"Have you guys seen Alice we planned to study together?" Mary asked the guys at lunch.

"Yeah we saw her this morning going off to the owlery but I haven't seen her since then." James told us helping himself to some roast. "You haven't seen Sirius though have you, he's been missing all morning as well."

"No, that's strange, maybe Mary's right. Maybe they are talking again but hiding it." Peter suggested.

"Well we can figure that out, after lunch we'll get the map. If they both don't show up then we can guarantee that they're both in the room of requirement which means Mary was right and they are talking again." James added between mouthfuls.

"I hope that's the case, it's about time they sorted this out." I added helping myself to lunch.

* * *

Sirius' POV

"I'm afraid there hasn't been any improvement." The healer told us when we arrived.

"But there's still time though, she has nine days to show some improvement." I begged hoping they weren't going to shorten the time frame.

"yes but considering that she hasn't shown any signs of life in 21 days I don't know if nine days will do much good. Normally we stop treatment after a week but since this is a fairly new case we aren't sure what the deadline should be." The Healer explained. Making sound like Sammie was their new essay they were working on.

"We won't be long; we needed most of this day as a study day, we just wanted to come and visist." Alice mentioned stepping inside Sammie's room beckoning me to follow.

"Alice look, someone's brought her flowers." I gasped as soon as the Healer shut the door as he left.

Alice went over to see if there was a card with a name we didn't recognise on it. "False alarm they're from her aunt."

"Oh." I replied sinking into the chair next to her bed.

"You know apparently talking to her helps." Alice said out of the blue.

"Yeah but I feel like an idiot talking to someone who doesn't respond back." I told her.

Alice flashed me a grin and decided to talk to Sammie telling her about school and what everyone was up to.

* * *

Lily's POV

"Well they're not together there's Alice there." James said pointing to the spot on the map where Alice was. "but there is no Sirius he must be in the Room of Requirement studying."

"Studying?" I asked raising an eyebrow.

"This is Sirius we're talking about." Mary added.

"Yeah don't tell him I told you this but there has been heaps of times when we wanted to find Sirius and have found him on the map alone in the library. When we went to find him he was sitting in the most secluded corner. There has also been a few times when I've walked into the Room of Requirement with him and it resembles the library." James explained folding up the map and tucking it in his pocket.

"I can't believe that he actually studies. I was starting to believe that he was that smart he could smash out any test and having only glanced at the topic the night before." I said with disbelief.

"Yeah I know, we were shocked when we found out. He doesn't know that we know either." Remus added.

"I just can't believe it." I said again, Mary nodded with agreement.

This was going to take a while to get over.

* * *

Sirius' POV

"I'm thinking of going back later this week before the Hogsmeade visit." I told Alice as we walked back.

"I don't know, most of the Healers believe that we had a Hogsmeade visit but if we go during the week they'll know we snuck out." Alice reasoned.

"We could actually ask for permission, we'll just have to pretend that we haven't seen her since we first found out." I suggested.

McGonagall was soft when it came to situations like this, I was sure she would let us go. After all she let me go to Lily's parent's funeral and that was before I was really close with her.

"Ok, but we'll go see her now then." Alice agreed.

"Alright but you need to leave first it will look suspicious if we are seen walking together. We should have brought something in Hogsmeade, I think we missed lunch." I told her.

"That's alright I'll stop by the kitchens before we see McGonagall then." Alice told me stepping out the passageway and into the corridor.

I waited for a few minutes, listened to make sure no one was coming. Double checked by peeking and stepped out into the corridor. I didn't realise how hungry I was until I was halfway up to McGonagall's office and decided to take a stop at the kitchens for a sandwich or something to eat.

"You weren't supposed to follow me; I thought we weren't going to make this look suspicious." Alice said as I bumped into her on the way in.

"Sorry I didn't realise how hungry I was, don't worry I didn't come straight here I was halfway up to McGonagall's when I changed my mind." I reassured her. "We might as well go up together, don't worry I'll go under the cloak that way no one will notice us."

I didn't want to tell her that the others would be able to find us on the map but that was only if they decided to look.

"Alright are you sure you can walk under the cloak and eat at the same time?" Alice asked smirking.

"Of course I am a marauder after all this isn't anything new." I joked.

"And neither is going to McGonagall's office." She muttered more to herself but I still heard.

"Mr Black, Miss…" McGonagall trailed off surprised to see us.

"Sorry to disturb you professor but we want to ask you something." Alice said.

"Of course come in and take a seat." She said pointing to the four seats in front of her desk.

"I'm guessing you're not here to talk about why you weren't on school grounds this morning." McGonagall stated taking a seat behind her desk.

Alice glared at me; I told her we wouldn't get caught. "I'm sorry professor but I don't know what you're talking about." I replied stalling the lecture.

"I'll explain it for you then. Last Saturday the Headmaster got an interesting visit from a healer letting him know that two of his students were at St Mungos. Then this morning a couple of healers thought it was weird seeing two 17 year olds walking into the hospital when they should be at school. Care to explain." McGonagall asked sternly.

"It's my fault." I said, well it was, "I dragged Alice along, I told her that you gave us permission to go see Sammie."

"Sirius." Alice hissed.

"I thought as much-" McGonagall began to say when Alice cut her off.

"He isn't entirely to blame; I went on my own accord last, Saturday. It was a Hogsmeade visit so it was easy to apparate to and from without getting caught. Sirius must have had the same idea because he came just before I left. After that we both wanted to see her again and since nothing was happening this weekend we decided to go."

"Be that as it me, you both did not seek out permission, and you will both be serving a detention this week, I'll let you know when." McGonagall told both of us. "Also 20 points each will be lost understood."

Alice and I both nodded, I knew not to argue with her. "Actually Professor that's why we came to see you, we wanted permission to go see Sammie after lessons sometime this week." I mentioned before she could kick us out.

"Well you've already been twice without permission do you think that I'll give you permission right now?" McGonagall asked not wanting an answer.

"I'm sorry Alice; I didn't mean to get you a detention." I told her sincerely once we left McGonagall's office.

"It's not the detention I'm upset about it's just a detention; I'm upset that we won't get to see Sammie again." Alice sobbed.

"Yes we will, we'll see her when she wakes up." I told her putting my arm around her for comfort but she shrugged it off and walked away.

* * *

James' POV

"Mr Black you will be serving you're detention tonight, be in the Entrance Hall at 6:30." McGonagall told Sirius at breakfast before we had to go to charms.

"Umm Professor Sirius can't do that detention tonight he has Quiditch practise tonight, you don't want Gyrffindor to lose to Ravenclaw do you?" I practically begged.

"No I don't but if Mr Black wants to stay on the team he will miss this practise and serve his detention." McGonagall replied sternly.

"Great, what did you do to land yourself in detention on a night when you have Quiditch practise." I groaned.

"I didn't hand up my transfiguration essay up on time, besides I didn't plan for it to be tonight McGonagall told me she would let me know when she organised it." Sirius explained looking down at his plate.

"You better not miss anymore practises mate, Ravenclaw's our last game and if we beat them we'll win the cup." I warned him. "Hey why is McGonagall telling Alice she has a detention tonight as well. Surely she handed up her essay."

"I dunno maybe she found out about what she and Longbottom did in Hogsmeade." Sirius muttered.

"What did they do in Hogsmeade, and are you too ever going to talk again or are you just going to keep ignoring her. Maybe you'll sort it out on this detention." I suggested knowing it wasn't going to happen.

"Yeah maybe, well lets go to charms I don't need a detention for being late." Sirius grinned leaving quickly not even finishing his breakfast.

Lily was right he is acting strange.

* * *

Alice's POV

Just great my first detention in years and it's with Sirius who I used to despise but now I actually like him again, I just don't want to admit it, and he's late.

"Finally Mr Black you made it, well follow me." McGOnagall commanded leading us out onto the grounds past the Quiditch field where James and the Gryffindor team were training.

"Professor what exactly is our detention?" I asked, hoping that we would be with Hagrid, from what I heard from Sirius and the others he was soft.

"You will not mention this to anyone, is that clear." McGonagall said opening the gates.

"Um professor I don't understand." Sirius said confused.

"I understand how hard it is for you two, not being able to see Sammie much so just this once you have permission to go see her as long as you are back by eight sharp tonight." McGonagall told us.

"Thank you so much professor, I can't believe this." I exclaimed.

"Well I think you should apparate now. I will be down here at eight and no later." She warned us and watched us apparate to St Mungos.

* * *

Sirius POV

We apparated into the waiting room and since we already knew where Sammie's room was went straight there, not bothering to see the receptionist.

"What is going on?" I asked more to myself than anyone else.

There was a flurry of people rushing in and out of Sammie's room.

"You don't think…" Alice drifted off horror etched on her face.

I saw what she saw, Courtney hugging her mother in tears.

"No they can't they told us the 28th they wouldn't change their minds." I told her trying to calm myself.

We both rushed into the room surprising Sammie's family.

"What are you two doing here?"

* * *

A/N

So this is a bit longer than normal but I wanted to add a lot from Sirius and Alice. Not much Lily and James but they'll be back in the next chapter or two. Sorry to leave you with a cliff-hanger and sorry but I'm not sure when the next chapter will be up. I hope it won't be a massive wait. I wrote down the POV's this time so hopefully that helped distinguish who it was. Let me know what you think.  
SpringBabe xxx.


	27. The Secret Plan

Chapter 27: The Secret Plan

Sirius' POV

I thought it was a trick, that I was just imagining but when I turned around I saw Sammie sitting up white faced.

"OH MY GOD, Sammie I knew you would get through this." Alice shouted with relief rushing to her side. "Whatever happen before Christmas forget about it, it's not important."

"Are the others coming?" Sammie croaked so happy to see us.

"No, Alice and I are the only ones; we wanted to surprise the rest of them." I told her. So relieved she was alive I couldn't stop smiling.

"I can send an owl to Lily or James if you want." Mrs Delsento asked.

"No that's alright we can tell them I just can't believe it. You were cutting it pretty fine." I exclaimed still grinning.

"What do you mean?" Sammie asked starting to sound stronger.

I didn't know how to tell her, how do you tell someone that in four days' time you would have been left to die. I looked to Alice for support, who was silently pleading with Sammie's mother to tell.

"Well honey, you've been here since January 1st and the healers could only do some much that if you didn't show any signs of surviving they would stop treating you on the 28th." Her mum said trying to make it sound as kind as possible choking up at the words.

"You mean that I would die if I didn't wake up." Sammie asked choking back tears.

We all nodded, none of us had the heart to say it out loud.

"Well it's a good thing I did right." Sammie tried to smile but what she had just heard wasn't something even she could turn into a joke the tears starting to fall proved that.

"Look I don't want to upset you anymore but the others haven't come to see you since that night, we've kind of hidden our visits and even you're," I struggled for a word.

"Deadline." Sammie finished my sentence.

I just nodded at a loss of what to say. It didn't seem like Alice knew what to say. Courtney seemed overwhelmed and Mrs Delsento seemed so happy I thought she was about to explode.

"I'm guessing you two aren't allowed to stay for very long so Courtney and I will go find Michael and Harvey and allow you three to talk privately, I'm sure there is heaps for Sammie to catch up on." Mrs Delsento said breaking the silence nudging Courtney to follow her out of the room.

"So you two," Sammie said slowly, "are talking again."

Alice and I shared a look that Sammie didn't miss. "Kind of, the others don't know. We promised each other that we'd start talking when everyone sees you again. We wanted to make it look like you were the one that made us talk again." Alice explained.

"Ok we'll I guess you can tell the others when you get back that I'm okay." Sammie told us.

"Actually there's something I need to ask you and it could be really selfish of me to do this but can we not tell the others just yet." I asked startling them both.

"What? Why I know that Lily really wants to know that Sammie's awake before her birthday?" Alice asked slightly confused.

"I know that's exactly why I don't want to tell them. Lily told me that all she really wanted for her birthday was for Sammie to be alive so why don't we surprise her." I suggested. "We keep this quiet for the next six days and act like we really did serve detention then on Lily's birthday surprise Sammie walks in the common room."

"But what happens if Sammie isn't up to it, the Gryffindor Common Room is on the seventh floor." Alice said diminishing my perfect gift.

"Fine we can have a party for Lily in the Hospital Wing, we get Sammie transferred to the hospital wing this weekend if we can, and try and keep it a surprise from the others." I suggested hoping that sounded alright.

"That could work but we need to make this a better plan." Alice told me. "As long as you're up to it Sammie."

"Well I love surprising my friends I'm in." Sammie said raising her hand for a high five before lowering it again.

"Hey save your strength you play a big part in this." I told her.

"No it's not that, well it's not just that. Remember when we were all friends we had our own handshake for times like this." Sammie grinned.

Alice smiled and started laughing remembering the good old days before complications, back when we were still innocent.

"I missed this so much." Sammie said.

"Same," Both Alice and I said at the same time.

That go us all laughing, well Sammie struggling to laugh, after all she did lose a high percentage of blood.

* * *

Lily's POV

"So how was your detention last night?" I asked Alice at breakfast.

"It could have been worse I guess, we had to help Professor Sprout sort gloves, earmuffs, watering cans that sort of thing." Alice replied sneaking a glance at Sirius who was talking to James, probably about the detention.

I pretended not to notice Alice's glance and kept grilling her on the detention. "So being with Sirius who you can't stand didn't make it horrible?"

There was something Alice was hiding and I was going to find out what it was. James and I had decided that we would ask Sirius and Alice the same questions separately to see if there were any gaps. We were certain that something was going on between those two. Not dating wise but different to how they were before.

"Well it was a detention so it's not something I chose to do plus I haven't had one in ages but we didn't talk to each other. The detention was mostly in silence apart for Sprout asking us questions about what we thought of 7th year and stuff like that." Alice told me distracted by the owls flying in.

"Expecting something from Frank." I teased nudging her.

"Mmhm." Alice mumbled no longer listening to me.

I watched as Sirius received an owl, no idea who from since his family disowned him, oh well, I guess I will only find out if he tells me. Alice also saw Sirius receive the letter and they both looked at each other.

There was something going on there, and it was bugging me that I didn't know what it was.

* * *

Alice's POV

"Lily was asking about our detention last night." I told Sirius when we were safely away from the others in Muggle Studies. At the moment we were the only two that were doing it. Three when Sammie returns.

I think we shocked the Professor last week when he walked in and we were sitting next to each other not on opposite sides of the class room, but he finally got over by this lesson.

"Yeah what did you tell her?" Sirius asked me unfolding the letter he received this morning.

"I said that we were sorting stuff with Sprout I thought it made sense since we meet McGonagall in the Entrance Hall." I told him.

"Shit." Sirius swore not loud enough to be heard by the Professor.

"What?" I asked looking over his arm to read the letter. I was sure it was going to be good news from Sammie's mum.

"It's not about the letter, Sammie's mum and the healers are on board it's just that I told James that we had Hagrid for detention and had to check out the Forbidden Forest."

"Shit." I swore much louder that Sirius earning a glare from the Professor. "Let's hope they don't compare stories." We both knew that they would though.

"We need to be more careful; we can't let them catch on about the plan." Sirius warned me.

"Yes I know but we can't disappear, we'll have to find a time when everyone else is busy." I told him, I wanted this to work as much as he did but since it was his plan I guess he can admit he's worried as much as he wants.

* * *

Lily's POV

"So Alice told you they were with Sprout?" James asked wanting confirmation for the tenth time.

"Yes James and we know Sirius said they had detention with Hagrid." I groaned, fed up with him asking the one question over and over. "We know they had detention, McGonagall publicly told them but why did they tell us two different stories?"

"That is weird. I'll keep a watch on Sirius and see where he disappears to." James told me.

"You have the map; surely you can see what they're doing without having to stalk them." I reminded him.

"Well yeah that's kind of what I meant but it sounds cooler if I sound like I'm following them. I even have my invisibility cloak. We could make amazing detectives." James said brightening up at the idea.

"You're an idiot." I said lightly smacking him on the head. "You're a wizard and you go for Muggle techniques." I smirked.

"But it's funner." James pouted.

"Funner, that's not even a word." I grinned.

"Sure it is, funner. My life became funner when I met you." James said pushing me into the nearest broom cupboard.

"James we're supposed to be on patrol." I giggled wanting to kiss him so bad. "Besides that doesn't really make sense."

"Come on, one little kiss." He pouted again.

"I suppose we can spare 10 minutes it's not like anything's happening." I told him shutting the door behind us trapping us in the dark.

In James' language that just made everything funner.

* * *

Alice's POV

"Fate has brought us to this time." Sirius smirked shutting the door behind us.

"Haha but don't you think that it might be a coincidence that Lily, James and Remus all had patrols, that Peter has a stomach ache that's keeping him to his dorm and Mary wants to spend time with her sister." I asked him.

"No. Those things were bound to happen." Sirius told me sitting down on one of the bean bags the room conjured.

"But all on the one night." I questioned.

"Alright it's a coincidence but it's all we've got we might as well make the most of it. We have heaps to plan since the Hogsmeade trip is tomorrow." Sirius said gesturing for me to sit across from him.

"I don't know why you're being so Lily-like on this. It's not like this is an assignment." I told him.

"But it is a present for Lily and a surprise for everyone else. It has to be perfect." Sirius said in a un Sirius way.

"Do you like her or something because she is your best friend's girlfriend you know?" I joked not knowing what to make of Sirius right now.

"What! No, just she's a good friend. I care about her and I think she's perfect for James." Sirius admitted. "I just really want this to go perfectly."

"Ok then, we still have to let the professors know so they don't mention anything; McGonagall and Flitwick shouldn't say anything. If anything I'm betting on Slughorn to spill the beans."

"I agree which is why we have to let them know, we can probably see Dumbledore before breakfast and McGonagall before we leave. Slughorn and Flitwick when we get back. Who else will we need to let know?" he asked.

"Hagrid, he will most likely tell James." I told him.

"Ok we might be able to sneak out and tell Hagrid tonight or even sometime tomorrow." Sirius suggested.

"Well as long as no one catches us we can do it tonight." I agreed.

"Alright lets go." Sirius grinned excited. I was too it was all coming together I can't wait to see their faces.

"Alice, Sirius what are you doing here?"

Oh Shit.

* * *

Sirius' POV

"Alice, Sirius what are you doing here?"

Please don't be Lily, please don't be Lily. You would think I would know her voice by now but she sounds like everyone else.

"Mary." Alice exclaimed brave enough to turn around.

"I knew it, the others didn't believe you were talking again but I knew it." Mary rambled.

"No we're not." Alice quickly lied.

Mary gave us a look to know she was lying and tapped her foot patiently.

"Ok fine, we're talking again but can you please keep this a secret we don't want to tell the others yet." Alice pleaded while I tried my best puppy dog eyes.

"Sirius that's the worst puppy dog eyes I've ever seen." Mary giggled. "Fine I'll keep your secret but you might want to think of something quick I know Lily and James were on their way here."

"Um ok, Sirius go back into the Room of Requirement." Alice told me.

"Why do you get to boss me around?" I asked in a whiny voice.

Footsteps were coming our way and we all heard them. Mary looked like she wanted to see us get busted.

"Sirius please." Alice begged.

I decided I would run around the corner instead of hiding in the room.

"What are you two doing here?" I heard Lily ask Mary and Alice even if I was hiding around the corner I could still hear what was going on clearly.

"We just felt like going for a walk before curfew." Alice lied. She was good at lying occasionally.

"Oh I thought that you were spending time with Lauren, Mary and I thought you were studying in the library Alice because you couldn't stand the noise in the common room and didn't want to intrude on our common room." Lily asked. Jeez that girl was getting suspicious she never asked questions like this.

"Yeah when I got back to the common room Mary wanted to do something so we decided to wander around the castle. You know it's our last year and all might as well take in the scenes." Alice lied again.

"Oh really so you mustn't have spent much time in the library then if you and Mary had enough time to make it here from the common room." Lily questioned again.

"Well I only had to reference one book, what is this 20 questions." Alice finally snapped. Maybe it was time to make myself known and diffuse the tension. I could just picture Lily backing off and Alice getting worked up.

Mary and James were probably wondering what had just happened. It was kind of fun imagining these scenarios from my hiding spot behind one of the statues.

"Sirius what are you doing? Are you hiding?" Remus asked. I actually can tell his voice apart from the others.

Shit I've been caught out time to think of a lie.

* * *

Mary's POV

"Sirius what are you doing? Are you hiding?" I heard Remus asked from around the corner. I didn't know he was patrolling on this side of the castle as well.

Lily and James went to investigate; I followed closely behind while Alice lingered back for a while before joining us. I guess she didn't want to seem too eager and blow her cover. This was going to be interesting.

"Well I decided to go for a walk and try to find one of you guys on patrol since the common room wasn't interesting and Peter's not being very good company. Anyway I was walking along this corridor when that Ravenclaw chick Chloe something shouted out my name." Sirius said going off on a tangent and doing a pretty good job.

"You know that chick I apparently shagged." Sirius added at Remus and James' blank looks.

"What were you too drunk to remember her as well." Alice said hurtfully I think that night was still a sore spot for her.

Sirius looked slightly hurt at Alice's remark I guess he'll never properly forgive himself although they were doing a good job of being secret friends I just hope this weird meeting won't ruin it.

"No that's just girls gossip actually Sirius is the only virgin here if you and Frank are that serious." Lily said coming to Sirius' defence adding some extra unwanted information.

I didn't need to be reminded of my first time, it also looked like Remus didn't want to be reminded of his first time either I wonder who it was.

"Lily we're all friends here you don't need to keep up the act anymore." Alice said referring to when Lily lied in September because she had enough of Sirius and the others thinking she was innocent.

"Actually Lily is defiantly not a virgin." James said clearing his throat.

Alice's jaw dropped. The rest of us either already knew or suspected James and Lily had slept together. They loved each other it was only a matter of time.

"So let me get this straight. Sirius is still a virgin and Lily's not. What universe are we living in?" Alice asked almost speechless.

"Well I guess it just makes tonight's night even weirder." I said speaking for the first time since Lily and James made their appearance to me and Alice.

Everyone jumped; I guess they just forgot I was here. It wouldn't be the first time although I don't blend into the shadows now as much as I used to.

"Weren't you meant to be patrolling near the Ravenclaw tower with Felicity?" James asked Remus getting back to the real reason and Sirius we never heard the real reason why you were hiding behind this statue." James said.

"Well that can be a story for when we get back to the common room since it's now after curfew." Lily said checking her watch.

Well tonight had been eventful I'm sure it would be even better if Alice and Sirius got caught by the others well I guess they almost did and Sirius' tangent about hiding from Chloe whoever has got to be the best cover up story I've heard. I need to remember to remind him of it in a few years time.

* * *

James POV

"Well last night was weird." Remus said once we were all down in the Great Hall. Lily and I were the last to arrive as usual but neither of us wanted to leave the shower or stop with the snogging.

"Yeah I'll say, what a coincidence that we all met in the same corridor, I just can't believe our chances at meeting up like that." Mary gushed sounding way too happy, like she knew something the rest of us didn't.

"Well anyway coincidence or not, we're still all going to Hogsmeade together right?" Lily asked.

"Yeah but I've still got to get a certain someone a birthday present and meet up with Frank, so I'll go do my own thing after we have lunch in the Three Broomsticks." Alice said.

"I thought you bought Lily her present before Christmas break because it was on sale or because it was the perfect gift." Mary questioned cheerfully raising her eyebrow at Alice.

That girl defiantly knew something, and it had to do with Alice.

"That was her Christmas present Mary." Alice told her with a glare. "Hence why I bought it before Christmas."

"Alright sorry no need to jump down my throat." Mary said with holding up her hands in the back off gesture.

"Shit!" Sirius swore extremely loud that McGonagall was glaring at him.

"What?" I asked wondering what made him stop eating with his fork halfway to his mouth.

"Lily's birthday is this week," Sirius dropped his fork. "I completely forgot, I've had a lot of my mind right now."

Mary mumbled something that none of us could hear. I think Alice did though and I think she meant to kick Mary not Sirius.

"Guys I don't think I'll be joining you in Hogsmeade, it'll probably take me all day to find a gift for Lily so I'm going to go as soon as I finish breakfast." Sirius said.

"Guys I don't want presents. I'm turning 18 it's no big deal. I came of age last year and that was the big deal birthday so please doesn't get me anything." Lily said sadly.

"Come on Lil's everyone wants presents on their birthday, especially you, with everything that has happened you deserve to have a party and get heaps of presents." I told her pulling her in close to me.

"But I'm not going to get a lot of presents." Lily admitted cheerfully.

I knew what she meant we all did. Her parents were gone and they added to the number of presents she received each year. This year she wouldn't be getting any from them.

"Look I'm going to go get changed, I'll meet you all in the Entrance Hall in an hour and we'll get a carriage together down to Hogsmeade." Lily sniffed and pulled away from me.

"You know Sirius if you want, I can help you find the perfect present for Lily and it will take half the time." Mary suggested.

"Umm thanks but I think Lily wants as many friends as she can today so I'll try and get it all done this afternoon and enjoy the morning with everyone else. If I don't find anything I can always sneak back in on Monday night." Sirius mumbled.

"Interesting." Mary chuckled.

"What, what's interesting." Peter asked finally taking part in the conversation.

Poor Peter he always seemed to be left out or choosing to be left out.

* * *

A/N

Well not much to say. I was really hoping I would be able to get Lily's Birthday in this chapter but I just ran out of space and I didn't want to make this an extremely long chapter.  
Until next time.  
SpringBabe.  
P.S the next chapters almost done so hopefully it'll be up within the next two weeks.  
xx


	28. Happy Birthday

Chapter 28: Happy Birthday

Sirius' POV

"Mary can I talk to you." I asked her.

"Sure go ahead, it's not about Alice is it?"

"No, this is about Lily's present. I just need your help putting it together. You see I need to take Lily somewhere to give her this gift but I don't want to ruin it until she gets to this place. I was hoping you would be able to bring the others five or ten minutes later just so she can react before them."

"Ok, what's this present you're giving Lily, why can't you give it to her tomorrow morning like the rest of us and then enjoy the party you planned. Wait you haven't started liking her do you?" Alice asked raising her voice.

"What! No. Why does everyone think that?" I exclaimed. "We all know it was Alice I fell for and since she doesn't feel the same way we're just going to forget about that and just be friends. Anyway tomorrow after you see me leaving with Lily who will hopefully be blindfolded can you rush into her common room and tell everyone Alice is in the hospital wing and you don't know what's wrong. Tell them you told me and Lily and we are already on our way. Alright thanks." I replied quickly hurrying off before she could object or ask questions.

* * *

Lily's POV

I can understand why people say they can get used to this whenever they wake up next to the person they love because well I wanted to get used to this. Waking up next to James would probably brighten up any girls morning although the fact that he was just staring at me for who knows how long is a bit concerning.

"Morning." I murmured nuzzling in to him.

I hadn't slept in my bed since we got back to Hogwarts minus a few rocky days where James wanted to break up with me but that was all well and good now.

"Happy Birthday." James murmured playing with my hair. "Do you like your present?"

"What!"

"It's not what you think it is, unless you are thinking that's what it is. It's a promise ring, I'll replace it with the real thing when the time is right but until then this is a promise that you will always be mine." James blabbed.

"How the hell did you get it on my finger without me noticing," I stated not knowing what to say but then again that was a valid question.

James looked taken aback which of course made me feel guilty it really was a beautiful ring.

"It's stunning though I love it. Thank you." I kissed him passionately.

"Ok, as much as I want to do this, I already let you sleep in for too long, they're already serving breakfast." James told me glancing at his watch. "I love you though."

"I love you to." I replied not caring about breakfast. Really who needs it?

* * *

Alice's POV

"So why are you going to be in the hospital wing this afternoon?" Mary asked me between hanging balloons and streamers.

I don't really know why Sirius was going to twice the effort to fake throw a party in Lily and James' common room when we were throwing the party in the hospital wing.

"Oh I ended up knowing what Sirius' gift for Lily is and because he didn't want her to find it he hid it in the Hospital Wing. The only way the others are going to go is if something drastic happens and unfortunately I have to end up in the Hospital wing." I replied not meeting eye contact.

"You know if it wasn't Lily's birthday I would demand the truth." Mary told me harshly. "What is going on between you and Sirius besides the secretive talking?"

"Can you drop it; we'll explain it to you when we're ready." I replied slightly harsh but it got the point across and she dropped the topic.

"Fine but this hospital wing stuff better be worth it. I don't want to be the one that they think ruined Lily's birthday."

"You won't honestly and if that happens I'll explain the truth but not before they get to the Hospital Wing."

* * *

James POV

"Surprise!" Remus, Peter and Sirius shouted as soon as we stepped through our small little entrance way.

"I honestly had no idea you guys were going to through me a party." Lily replied sarcastically putting her hand over her heart like she was about to have a heart attack.

"Haha, Happy Birthday Flames. Although you were supposed to get here after Mary and Alice arrived back with the food." Sirius replied glaring at me.

"Hey what was I supposed to do, you told me half an hour and I wasted 45 minutes." I retorted not wanting to get blamed for this.

"Oh fine, I guess we should just start with the presents first." Sirius replied turning back to Lily. "Happy Birthday I hope you like it."

"Thanks Sirius," Lily said taking the book shaped present he was handing her. All that work for a book. He spent at least two days in Hogsmeade dedicated to finding a book. "How did you know I was looking this book? First edition too." Lily exclaimed.

"Wait what?" I gasped.

Sirius actually thought this through. Anyway Remus always knows what to give her.

"Are you sure Alice and Mary were only going for food?" I asked Sirius while Lily was opening Silvia's present. We've been here for 15 minutes and they haven't returned yet.

"Yes I'm sure they're on their way back. The castle is small you know." Sirius snapped back.

Ok what was his deal? Did he realise how sucky his present was compared to the rest of us.

"Can I have everyone's attention? Thank you." Sirius randomly shouted to the small amount of guests. "Lils that wasn't really you're present but thanks for acting like it meant something special, even I knew that it wasn't a first edition but thanks for the act. I couldn't hide your real present in here so you and I are going to have to leave for a short time and go see it." Sirius said standing down from the chair he was standing on.

Lily looked surprise and I went to go stand by her ready to follow him out.

"Actually James, this is for Lily. I promise it's nothing dangerous." Sirius said pulling a black cloth out of his pocket.

"Don't worry it's Sirius I'll be fine, and we'll come straight back." Lily told me.

I watched Sirius tie the cloth around Lily's head blocking off her sight. I was slightly worried that Sirius had been replaced by a death eater and was taking Lily to the dungeons or something but I had to tell myself that was ridiculous.

"Hey James have a butter beer." Remus said handing me a bottle. "Look don't worry Sirius just wants to cheer her up. She deserves to be happy if it's only for a night you know how much she wanted Sammie to be here and maybe tonight's the final goodbye to her."

Of course Lily really wanted Sammie to be here. It's been a month. From what I heard when Timothy dated a healer. Four weeks was the limit to hold someone when there was no improvement. Why didn't I think of this before it became too late? Four weeks was the 28th for all our sakes I hope there had been an improvement with Sammie that none of us knew about. Then again I also know not to get my hopes up. You only get disappointed when they don't come true. Of course Sirius wanted to cheer Lily up. She was the first to face the harsh reality.

"Finally I made it, I just told Lily and Sirius. Alice is in the hospital wing." Mary panted running straight into the room panic toned.

"What?" I asked. "I thought she was getting food with you."

"Yeah she was then she left early and I ran into David Mackintosh on the second floor and he told me she was taken to the hospital wing before I made it, anyway we need to go see her." Mary said pushing us out the door.

* * *

Lily's POV

"Sirius where are we going, and is there a reason I'm blind folded?" I asked Sirius slightly worried I felt like he was dragging me around the castle.

"You'll see, and you're blind folded because I don't want to ruin the surprise until we get there." Sirius told me extremely patient but I could feel his excitement. It was practically radiating off of him.

I heard doors open as I was guided blindly through whatever doors. "Where are we, it's not the library is it?"

"No it's not the library, you'll see." Sirius said spinning me around about 10 times. "Are you ready?" He asked.

"Let me regain my balance. Normally people only get spun around three times in games requiring blindfolds. Sirius why are we in the Hospital wing. What are you hiding up here? Are you trying to drug me?" I half laughed hoping that truly wasn't the case.

This was Sirius he wouldn't do that to me. Then again maybe this wasn't Sirius. He had been acting weird for the last week or so. I started to panic hoping it wasn't showing. Maybe this was a trick, was Sirius somewhere tied up with a Death Eater replacing them. There were a couple at this school so they probably knew a fair bit about all of us.

"You didn't think I would miss your birthday did you?" That sounded a lot like Sammie.

I must have imagined it. I was hearing things. There was no way she was alive. We all knew she wouldn't survive. I knew healer protocol. I should have visited her before the four weeks was up. Now it was too late, now I was hearing her voice. I desperately wanted her here that's why I was imagining her voice. It was all in my head.

"Turn around, you idiot." Sirius whispered in my ear.

"No fucking way!" I swore. There was no way this was true. It was just not possible.

She didn't even look weak. She probably was after all she was sitting in a hospital bed grinning Alice sitting at the foot of the bed smiling like it was Christmas.

"It's true. We wanted to surprise you?" Sammie told me as I gave her a small hug. I didn't want to hurt her.

"We?" I asked confused.

Of course she and Sirius must have planned this.

"Sirius and Alice planned it all." Sammie told me.

"Sirius and Alice but they can't stand each other." I told her unsure of that though.

They had both been acting weird for the same amount of time.

"Yeah that's the next surprise. We're talking again." Alice blushed slightly still smiling.

"I just can't believe it; I can't believe any of this. This is the best present ever. I won't forget it."

I hugged both Sirius and Alice, "Thank you so much this means the world to me that all three of you planned this."

* * *

James POV

"So you don't know what's wrong with Alice?" Silvia asked Mary even though Remus and Peter had already asked.

"No, nobody told me why she was in the Hospital Wing they just told me she was." Mary said slowing down slightly. Maybe to catch her breath.

"So you told Sirius and Lily, they'll already be there and not on the other side of the castle." I asked double checking that this wasn't all a ruse. That Mary and Sirius weren't Death Eater's in disguise or Death Eaters in the making.

Actually I trusted all my friends there was no way any one would become a Death Eater.

"Yes, and if you're secret passage way is a short cut you might make it there before them, unless Sirius took this way as well." Mary rambled.

Mary never used to this much at a time before; actually I don't think she does normally either.

"Mary what's going on?" I asked stopping the mad dash we had all been part of.

"Alice is in the hospital wing and I have no idea why?" Mary stuttered not making eye contact.

"If that's all then why are you acting so nervous? I'm not leaving until you to me what's really going on." I told her putting my foot down and acting like a five year old who didn't want to go to the shops.

Mary looked at everyone who seemed to follow my lead and took a deep breath, "ok, yesterday Sirius told me he had the perfect gift for Lily but he couldn't find a good place to hid it so he was going to take Lily to it and then I was supposed to tell you all that Alice was in the hospital wing and that I had already told Sirius and Lily."

"What, I knew it!" I shouted.

"Knew what James?" Remus asked.

"That Sirius isn't Sirius; he's a Death Eater in disguise." I told them all admitting my suspicions.

"No, that's not true." Mary shouted.

"Why not?" Peter questioned. "He has been acting weird."

"Yeah I agree with Peter, Sirius has taken Lily somewhere and we have been sent to the Hospital wing." I told them all.

"No, believe me it's not true. I truly believe that this is about Lily's birthday gift; I asked Alice why she was going to be in the hospital wing this afternoon and she told me it was because she ended up finding out what Sirius' gift is. I can't believe you've jumped to the worst conclusions. He's your best friend and you're suspecting him of being a Death Eater. You truly know Sirius sure he's been acting weird but I can promise you it's not because he's a Death Eater so get your butts to the hospital wing and see what Sirius has given Lily for her birthday." Mary shouted at us before continuing to the hospital wing.

The rest of us stood where we were dumbfounded. Mary had just ordered us to go to the hospital wing when the obvious signs were pointing to other reasons.

"You know it couldn't hurt to follow her." Silvia said jogging to meet up with Mary.

"She's right, Sirius is our friend, and we can't jump to conclusions like this especially without proof. If you end up being right. You can tell us you told us so, but for now we should go to the Hospital wing and see what this is all about." Remus told me as he and Peter followed the two girls leaving me behind.

"Fine I'm coming too." I called out after them.

"I just can't believe it; I can't believe any of this. This is the best present ever. I won't forget it." I heard Lily gush.

I felt like such an idiot I was so, so wrong. How the hell did I jump to that conclusion in the first place? I actually convinced myself that my best friend was a Death Eater, some friend I am.

When I walked in closely behind the others I saw that Lily was hugging Alice and Sirius, so it was true, it was about a present after all.

"Hi guys." Sammie said from the hospital bed.

When I walked in I glanced right over her taking her in as some other injured student. Sammie was actually alive, she was fricken alive.

"No fucking way!" I exclaimed rushing over to her bed. "How the hell…"

"Thank Alice and Sirius they put all this together, all I had to do was follow orders and somehow I ended her. The original plan was for me to walk through the common room and surprise everyone but I don't have that strength yet even though it's almost been a week I still can't walk." Sammie explained trying to break the silence.

"Wait what? You've been awake for a week and nobody told us." Lily shouted.

"We wanted to keep it a surprise for your birthday. Believe me I was busting to tell you and I think Alice was as well but I just kept seeing you're reactions and knew it would be worth it." Sirius explained.

"She's been awake for a week and you didn't tell us." I shouted, clearly Sirius didn't get it.

"Chill, she's still here, she's awake it's not like we didn't keep the deadline a secret from you. If Sammie showed no signs of improving by the Wednesday which is when she woke up, we would have told you the truth about how she was going to stop being treated by the 28th but that didn't happen and Sammie's here so let's celebrate. Sammie has a lot to catch up on and also some news for you." Alice yelled over all of us who were shouting about how no one mentioned that Sammie was alive.

* * *

A/N  
so I'll keep this one shortish, what do you think. I know I skipped heaps but all I wanted was to get the reactions of James and Lily. Don't know when they next chapter will be up so stay tuned.  
SpringBabe.


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